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The fellowships are the cheapest way for cyber/AI teams to co-develop with armasuisse's cyber unit and get onto its technology-monitoring radar; the Startup Challenge (winners get a paid pilot with the Swiss armed forces) is the only structured door into armasuisse for cyber start-ups. Do: Cyber/AI researchers with a Swiss university host: submit doctoral/postdoc applications on the EPFL CYD page by 19 Aug 2026 17:00 CEST, or file a proof-of-concept fellowship any time; start-ups: watch cydcampus.admin.ch for the 2026 Cyber Startup Challenge topic.

The Security Open Call is UKDI's recurring, broad-scope entry point for non-incumbents into UK security/defence funding, with a two-stage sift rather than a full tender. Relevant to early-stage security and dual-use tech firms (sensing, cyber, AI, C-UAS) able to submit a short Stage 1 proposal in under two weeks. Do: Download the competition document and submit a Stage 1 proposal via the UKDI submission portal before 12:00 BST on 27 August 2026.

Recurring, low-effort entry point into UK Home Office/NPSA budgets for near-market security tech, with challenge owners screening at Stage 1. Relevant to cyber, sensing/screening, AI-vision and XR firms with a working prototype and a UK delivery entity. Do: Read the competition document and file a Stage 1 overview proposal via the UKDI portal by 27 August 2026, mapping your prototype explicitly to one Home Office or NPSA challenge area; otherwise target the next cycle.

The first UKDI-branded open call after the DASA transition — a live signal that the UK's £1.6bn innovation budget is now flowing, and a fast (~£350k) entry point for security-tech SMEs including EU firms with a UK entity.

A small but security-sensitive Danish MoD IT hosting contract being moved off incumbent suppliers, with health-data handling and 24/7 critical support duties. Relevant to Danish/Nordic managed-hosting and secure application-operations SMEs able to run on-premise environments to defence security standards. Do: If you operate a security-accredited on-premise hosting/ALM capability, download the tender documents via the TED notice and submit an offer to FMI by 31 August 2026, evidencing health-data/GDPR and 24/7 incident handling references.

A EUR 20m multi-lot IT/software framework from Estonia's defence investment centre covering development, maintenance, support and consultancy is a sizeable, recurring opportunity for software firms serving defence IT systems, not a niche capability tender. Do: Register interest via the Estonian TED notice and review the procurement documents to determine which of the four service categories (development, maintenance/support, new software delivery, consultancy) fits your capability, then submit a bid before 2026-09-01.

STS is Romania's classified-comms operator, and this is a sizeable multi-year hardware framework covering compute for critical national infrastructure. Relevant to server OEMs, integrators and Romanian IT resellers able to meet security-cleared supply and support requirements. Do: Register in SEAP/SICAP and submit a candidature (with Romanian partner or local support capability) for the relevant server lots by 1 September 2026, sending clarification questions at least 18 days before the deadline.

This is a routine IT/cybersecurity support contract renewal for an existing software vendor's product line, offering limited entry potential for new suppliers outside authorised Trellix resellers. Do: If you are an authorised Trellix/McAfee reseller or cybersecurity services provider in the Czech Republic, register on the TED/NEN portal and submit a bid before the 2026-09-07 deadline.

A rare Romanian law-enforcement OSINT/darknet investigation platform buy of over EUR 3m under the defence-security directive, with no incumbent named. Relevant to cyber-intelligence and OSINT/dark-web monitoring vendors and integrators able to supply turnkey hardware plus analytics and support in Romania. Do: Register in SEAP/SICAP, download the tender pack and submit clarification questions on hardware/analytics requirements at least 9 days before the 16 September 2026 bid deadline; line up a Romanian integrator partner for delivery and support.

A single-award EDF topic that is essentially a secure software/logistics-IT build rather than a hardware programme, so software SMEs in encryption, resilient distributed systems and mobile apps can hold real work packages. Relevant to secure-comms/cyber software houses and logistics-IT firms in EDF-eligible states with STEP-aligned defence activity. Do: Contact consortium leads forming around military mobility digitalisation (previous EU military-mobility project participants) and pitch a work package on offline-resilient encrypted data exchange or consignment tracking before the 29 September 2026 deadline.

A single ~EUR 14m award concentrates EU funding for quantum-secured tactical comms in one consortium, building on earlier EDF work where existing SDR/QKD participants have an edge. Relevant to QKD/PQC hardware and SDR/SDN software firms in EU/Norway able to slot into a large comms-prime-led consortium. Do: Contact likely EDF consortium leads in secure tactical comms (SDR/SDN integrators) now to secure a QKD or PQC work package before the 29 September 2026 submission deadline via the EU Funding & Tenders Portal.

The one EDF door that does not require fitting a prime's topic: SME-led, any subject, €5m cap — most relevant for start-ups with a TRL 4–6 product and 2–3 friendly SMEs in other Member States.

This is money for physical munitions production capacity inside and with Ukraine, not R&D, with a relatively small consortium cap (15) that favours tight industrial teams over mega-consortia. Relevant to energetics/filling, missile subcomponent, seeker and loitering-munition makers, plus C-UAS and OT-cybersecurity firms who can slot into the site-protection work package. Do: If you make energetics, filling equipment, seekers/effectors or C-UAS/OT security, line up a Ukrainian production partner now and secure a work package in a consortium (or lead a EUR 2–30m action) before the 13 October 2026 SEDIA deadline.

STS is Romania's state operator for secure/critical government and defence communications, and this framework locks in three domestic integrators as call-off channels for switch hardware through the framework period. Relevant to network equipment vendors and secure-networking SMEs without a Romanian entity, who will need to sell through these resellers. Do: Contact ARCTIC STREAM and DATANET SYSTEMS as the dominant framework holders to position your switching/secure-networking products for STS call-off contracts.