All items · AI / ML

The largest open EU defence R&D deadline of 2026 — €1bn across DA+RA — closes 29 Sep; if you are not already in a consortium, the realistic play now is joining as a subcontractor or supplier of a specific capability (drone payloads, EW, seabed sensors).

Research actions are 100% funded and the SME/disruptive tracks are the realistic entry point for start-ups without a prime sponsor — but with 6 weeks left, only teams with a draft proposal should still be building consortia.

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.

Best fit for deep-tech start-ups and labs with a genuinely new concept rather than a product roadmap; success rates on EDF were ~14% in 2025, so a strong consortium matters more than the idea.

Cyberagentur PCP calls fund early-stage R&D at up to 100% and are open to bidders from EU, Switzerland, NATO and NATO AP4 partners, which is unusually broad for a German defence-adjacent buyer. Relevant to autonomy-stack, swarm-control and resilient-navigation teams able to run GNSS-denied multi-robot experiments. Do: Register on www.evergabe-online.de and submit a participation request plus project sketch for IRIS by 06.10.2026 11:00, showing prior work on GNSS-denied swarm autonomy and human-swarm control.

This is a sizeable (~€16m) German government research tender on swarm robotics resilience to EW/GPS denial, run via Cyberagentur's competitive R&D procurement route rather than a classic prime-led contract. Relevant to autonomy/robotics and EW-resilient navigation specialists, including SMEs and research-heavy scale-ups without existing primes relationships. Do: Register interest via the TED notice and prepare a technical proposal addressing robust swarm interaction and human-swarm control before the 6 October 2026 deadline.

This is EU money that flows through a Member State procurement agent, not to companies directly — so C-UAS sensor, effector, DE weapon and C2 vendors get in only by being the product selected in a multi-country buy. Relevant to C-UAS and VSHORAD/SHORAD suppliers with proven, EU-eligible products and existing national customer relationships. Do: Lobby your national MoD armaments directorate (or EDA/OCCAR/NSPA desk) now to have your C-UAS system included in a multi-country buy submitted before the 13 October 2026 deadline.

First Horizon Europe money explicitly for defence scale-ups and it is equity, not a grant — the obvious complement to a Series A/B for drone, autonomy, space and AI companies that were previously excluded from EIC.

This is a state-driven EDIP common-procurement instrument, not an R&D grant: money flows through a procurement agent appointed by participating states, with a EUR 80m minimum ticket for GBAD/BMD systems. Radar, seeker, interceptor, effector and C2 suppliers must position with national MoDs and the likely prime/agent rather than applying themselves. Do: Identify which Member States are grouping for AMD procurement and get your radar/effector/C2 product qualified with their national procurement authority or the appointed agent (EDA, OCCAR, NSPA) well before the 16 February 2027 deadline.

Applicants are Member States' procurement agents, not industry — money reaches C5ISR, satcom, ISR and space firms as suppliers under the resulting joint contracts or framework. Relevant for C5ISR/space payload and ground-segment suppliers who can get their product designated in a multinational buy. Do: Lobby your national armaments directorate (or EDA/OCCAR/NSPA desk officers) now to have your C5ISR/space product included in a ≥EUR 20m joint procurement package before the 16 February 2027 submission.

Signals Swiss intent to integrate external air picture feeds, which downstream implies procurement of data links, fusion and C2/air-surveillance interfaces at VBS/armasuisse. Relevant to sensor-fusion, air C2 software and secure data-link suppliers with Swiss presence or Swiss partners. Do: Track VBS/armasuisse air-defence C2 and sensor-fusion programmes on simap.ch and position early with Swiss integrators on interoperable air-picture data-link and fusion capability.

A direct, urgency-justified award shows the Dutch MoD buying Anduril C2 hardware through a Dutch reseller/integrator rather than a traditional prime — Surcom International is the visible channel partner. Relevant to C2/tactical comms integrators and resellers wanting to be the Dutch conduit for US autonomy and C2 product lines. Do: Approach Surcom International B.V. and the Dutch MoD (DMO) as an integration/support partner for Anduril Voyager-based C2 deployments, and register in the Dutch TenderNed/DMO supplier base for follow-on sustainment lots.

It shows UKDI's Security Open Call as a 100%-funded, non-dilutive entry route that led to a first commercial contract and prime introductions for a software SME. Relevant to computer-vision, C-UAS and autonomy software startups looking for a UK public-sector reference customer. Do: If you build edge AI, C-UAS or autonomy software, watch for the next UKDI Security Open Call cycle on gov.uk and frame your proposal around a named end-user problem (policing, Dstl, Royal Navy) as Vizgard did.

The buyer is testing whether it can award "Safe Strike" directly to a single supplier, so any credible alternative provider that responds now can force an open procedure. Relevant to firms supplying aircraft mission tracking/BFT, data-link and mission-data software with client/server licensing and Italian in-country support. Do: If you supply airborne mission tracking/data-transmission systems, respond to the Comando Aviazione dell'Esercito consultation via the TED notice contact immediately, evidencing an equivalent solution to block a sole-source award.

CEDA Maps is confirmed as the Czech MoD's geodata supplier for military transport route planning, a multi-year data-licensing position worth ~EUR 3m. Relevant to geospatial data and routing-software firms tracking Czech military mobility/logistics IT. Do: If you supply road/geospatial datasets or routing engines, approach CEDA Maps a.s. as a data or software sub-supplier and monitor Czech MoD NEN notices for follow-on logistics IT tenders.

A large, multi-supplier Dutch police software framework now locked with six big integrators for years, closing direct access for smaller vendors. Relevant to Dutch/EU software houses and AI/data-fusion specialists who can subcontract to these primes. Do: Pitch specialist capabilities (mobile apps, data fusion, secure software) to the Dutch delivery units of Atos, Capgemini, IBM, Info Support, Sopra Steria or CGI as a subcontractor on the Politie application services framework.

RAPID is one of Europe's most SME-friendly dual-use grants (no consortium, French entity required) — EU start-ups with a French subsidiary or partner should watch this page monthly.

This is a sole-source award to ESRI Romania for GIS software supply to a Romanian military unit, confirming Esri as the incumbent GIS provider in this defence segment; GIS/mapping software vendors and integrators targeting Romanian defence should note the incumbent lock-in.

This confirms TELDAT as the incumbent for Poland's JAŚMIN C3IS software line, reinforcing a closed ecosystem for that national C2 system; software/C4ISR vendors targeting Polish MoD should note the incumbency rather than expect to displace it directly. Do: If you supply C2/C3IS software components or integration services, contact TELDAT or 1 Regionalna Baza Logistyczna about subcontracting on the optional package before further option calls are exercised.

AGILE is the first EU instrument designed for fast, challenge-based awards to non-traditional defence suppliers rather than large EDF consortia, with first calls expected in early 2027. Relevant to funded defence-tech scale-ups in drones, C-UAS, EW, AI and autonomy that have struggled with EDF timelines and consortium requirements. Do: Track DG DEFIS publication of the AGILE regulation and first mission-driven challenge topics, and line up your challenge-ready demonstrator plus Member State end-user contacts before calls open in early 2027.

A Spanish MoD logistics command has committed over €6.6M to C2 systems for command posts, with Líneas y Cables as the incumbent for Lot 1; other lots may still be open or contracted separately. Relevant to secure comms and C2 system integrators/subcontractors, especially Spanish suppliers of cabling, network infrastructure and C2 hardware/software who could support the winner or bid for remaining lots. Do: Contact Jefatura de Asuntos Económicos del Mando de Apoyo Logístico or Líneas y Cables, S.A. to explore subcontracting opportunities for installation, cabling or maintenance work under this award.

The themes define how MOD innovation money (£400m/year, absorbing former DASA activity) will be framed, so future competitions will be scoped against them. Relevant to UK-based autonomy, AI/C2, secure comms, C-UAS and low-cost effects scale-ups planning bids. Do: Map your pitch to one of the five themes and monitor the UKDI Live funding opportunities page on GOV.UK for matching competitions.

A large (€196m awarded, €240m ceiling) Romanian defence AI/cyber framework has gone to Digi Romania, with an EU SAFE-linked mechanism allowing extension to other eligible partners across Member States; cybersecurity AI/LLM firms and testing-lab specialists should note the incumbent and the SAFE extension route. Do: Contact Digi Romania S.A. or UM 0929/UM 0296 procurement office to explore subcontracting or SAFE-based partner extension for LLM cybersecurity testing work.

This is a contract award to an established Spanish defence-electronics prime (GMV) for TALOS C2 system sustainment, signalling ongoing Spanish Army investment in command-post infrastructure; subsystem and spares suppliers to GMV or the TALOS programme should note this recurring maintenance line. Do: Contact GMV Aerospace and Defence's TALOS programme team to explore subcontracting for spares supply or maintenance work under this contract.

A NATO buyer is explicitly asking industry for an autonomous, human-out-of-the-loop anti-armour area denial system — a first-of-kind requirement set that combines loitering/ground robotics, target classification AI and top-attack warheads. Relevant to loitering-munition and UGV makers, EO/IR-plus-AI target recognition vendors, and anti-tank warhead/energetics suppliers wanting early requirement influence. Do: Contact DALO now via the TED notice contact point to register for the market dialogue and prepare a short capability brief covering kill-zone definition, automatic target recognition and terminal effect against modern MBTs.

This confirms Lockheed Martin as the incumbent on FMV's LVC multidomain simulation evaluation work, signalling limited near-term room for new entrants except as subcontractors; simulation/training and systems-integration SMEs with LVC or M&S expertise should note this. Do: If you supply LVC simulation, modelling or systems-integration capability, contact Lockheed Martin's ACES programme team to explore subcontracting opportunities on this FMV-funded evaluation.