The EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS) is an instrument enabled by the European Defence Fund (EDF) to strengthen defence innovation in the European Union.
EUDIS offers a set of instruments for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including start-ups, and other non-traditional players in defence industrial ecosystem to ensure more opportunities to access the European Defence Fund.
It aims to lower entry barriers into the defence domain for smaller players and innovators, focusing on technological readiness and market maturity.
EUDIS is here to support innovators throughout the development cycle to mature, scale-up, demonstrate their use-case, grow and successfully enter the market.
Discover EUDIS
- Participate with your team in Hackathons that will be held across Europe starting in Spring 2025.
- Organise or participate in Technological Challenges: set-up testing environments for Research & Development and compare your solution with competing teams.
- Form a consortium and benefit from Innovation Test Hubs to distribute cascade funding grants to SMEs or start-ups.
- Participate in Spin-in calls: migrate your results from civil EU-funded R&D programmes to the defence sector.
- Apply to the Defence Equity Facility: easier access to equity investments in Europe for the defence sector.
- Take part in Open SME and Disruptive Technologies calls: receive lump sum grants for R&D.
- Benefit from Business Coaching: SME beneficiaries from all EDF calls can benefit from up to 15 days of business coaching by defence industry experts.
- Apply to the Business Accelerator: targeted acceleration measures, access to finance and matchmaking with end-users, corporates and investors.
EUDIS Focus in 2025
The EDF 2025 Work Programme continues its support for defence innovation through the EU Defence Innovation Scheme. This year's programme includes:
- A technological challenge in Artificial Intelligence.
- R&D calls fostering civil-defence synergies in space, energy resilience, ground combat, and cyber.
- Continued support for start-ups and SMEs through cascade funding.
- Eligibility for Ukrainian entities to receive acceleration support.
Furthermore, the 2025 programme will fund the 2nd EUDIS Defence Hackathon (9-11 May 2025), taking place across eight EU locations to develop solutions for Ukraine and similar operational contexts; the EUDIS Business Accelerator to support start-ups and scale-ups; Matchmaking Services connecting innovators with investors and defence end-users; the continuation of the Defence Equity Facility (DEF), supporting private funds investing in dual-use defence technologies; and Business Coaching for EDF beneficiaries to enhance commercial viability.
Recognizing the importance of disruptive innovation, 4% of the EDF 2025 budget is allocated to a call addressing breakthrough technologies. An additional 6% is earmarked for non-thematic calls targeting innovative and future defence solutions, with a specific focus on SMEs.
Funding & Budget
In total EUR 1.46 billion are sourced from the European Defence Fund (EDF) and EUR 400-500 million are leveraged from other public and private sources.
In the EDF 2025 Work Programme, the total funding available for EUDIS is EUR 336.6 million.
EUDIS Governance
The EU Defence Innovation Scheme is managed by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS).
DG DEFIS manages the implementation of the European Defence Fund (EDF), the EU’s Defence Research and Development programme.
EUDIS is an integral part of the EDF.
Learn more about the European Defence Fund (EDF)
EUDIS is implemented by the European Commission. The European Defence Fund (EDF) Programme Committee, based on the Commission’s proposals, approves the annual prioritisation and the budget for the EUDIS actions in the context of the EDF Work Programme.
Beyond that, feedback and conclusions stemming from a regular dialogue with EU Member States and countries associated to the EDF (Norway), and the European Defence Agency through the EDA’s Hub for Defence Innovation (HEDI), is taken into account by the Commission.
National Focal Points (NFPs) support and facilitate the implementation of the EDF, including EUDIS. NFPs are individuals nominated by EU Member States and Norway. They support the implementation of the EDF, for example, by reaching out to stakeholders or providing advice to potential applicants or beneficiaries of the EDF programme. This includes EUDIS. A full list of NFPs, including contact details, can be found on the website of DG DEFIS.
