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EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026 opens call for participants

EUDIS — EU Defence Innovation Scheme · published 18 Feb 2026 · auto-extracted, not yet reviewed · Source ↗

Deadline
Budget / value
Statusunknown
UAS & autonomyInfrastructure & protection

Summary

The EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026 has officially opened its call for participants. From 16 February, innovators from across Europe and beyond are invited to register and take part in one of the European Union’s flagship initiatives supporting defence innovation. Now in its fourth edition, the EUDIS Defence Hackathon will take place from 26 to […] The post EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026

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The EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026 has officially opened its call for participants. From 16 February, innovators from across Europe and beyond are invited to register and take part in one of the European Union’s flagship initiatives supporting defence innovation. Now in its fourth edition, the EUDIS Defence Hackathon will take place from 26 to […]
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EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026 opens call for participants
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EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026 opens call for participants
EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026 opens call for participants
February 18, 2026
The
EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026
has officially opened its
call for participants
. From
16 February
, innovators from across Europe and beyond are invited to register and take part in one of the European Union’s flagship initiatives supporting defence innovation.
Now in its
fourth edition
, the EUDIS Defence Hackathon will take place
from 26 to 28 March 2026
, simultaneously across
eight locations in the European Union and Norway
. This year’s edition will focus on
Defending Airspace
, addressing critical challenges related to airspace protection, drone systems and emerging threats.
Building on three successful editions and more than 1,200 participants, the Spring 2026 edition continues the EU’s efforts to connect Europe’s “New Defence” ecosystem with real defence needs.
A Europe-wide innovation effort for experienced innovators
The hackathon is designed for
startups, researchers, engineers, developers and defence professionals
with the ambition and capability to turn ideas into deployable solutions. Participants will work intensively on real-world defence challenges, in close interaction with industry experts, defence stakeholders and end-users.
Beyond the hackathon weekend, EUDIS offers a unique pathway for innovators seeking to further develop their solutions within the European defence ecosystem.
Defending Airspace: the 2026 theme
The
Defending Airspace
theme responds to urgent and evolving challenges in airspace security, including drone detection, monitoring and protection systems. The challenges build on the European Union’s cooperation with Ukraine and reflect concrete operational needs faced by defence actors.
Participating teams will develop and prototype solutions in cooperation with experts and operators from the defence industry, ensuring that concepts are grounded in real-world use cases.
Beyond the hackathon: mentoring, pitching and visibility
Winning teams will benefit from a
tailored mentoring programme
designed to support the further development and real-life application of their solutions. This includes guidance from defence and innovation experts, as well as opportunities to refine business and deployment strategies.
In addition, selected teams will gain
visibility at European-level events
, access to
pitching sessions
, and opportunities to
network with defence stakeholders, investors, industry representatives and EU institutions
.
Ukrainian participation encouraged
DG DEFIS actively encourages
Ukrainian citizens
to participate in the Spring 2026 edition across all locations, as competitors, mentors or jury members. Ukrainian perspectives and operational insights continue to play a key role in shaping innovative and deployable defence solutions.
How to participate
Participant registrations are open from
16 February to 20 March 2026
.
Timeline
Participant registrations:
16 February – 20 March 2026
Hackathon events:
26–28 March 2026
Participant information session webinar:
To be announced
Interested innovators can register and find more information on the official website:
👉
https://eudis-hackathon.eu
For media enquiries, partnerships or additional information, please contact:
📩
contact@eudis-hackathon.eu
Recent posts
April 27, 2026
The 5th edition of the EUDIS Defence Hackathon is here, and we are looking for our next 8 Local Organisers
April 1, 2026
EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026: Meet the Winning Teams Driving Innovation in Airspace Defence
March 17, 2026
From Hackathon Winners to the European Stage: Three EUDIS Teams Pitch at the EDF Info Days
February 25, 2026
EUDIS Defence Hackathon 2026: Empowering Mature Teams Through Follow-On Mentoring
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Source: https://eudis-hackathon.eu/eudis-defence-hackathon-spring-2026-opens-call-for-participants/ — summarised by Rearm Radar; verify details at source before bidding. Enrichment: heuristic (confidence 40%).