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EUROPEAN DEFENCE FUND – Development actions, dedicated to SMEs, implemented through lump sum grants – 2026

EDF – The European Defence Fund aims at promoting cooperation among companies and research actors of all sizes and geographic origin in the Union, in research and development of state-of-the-art and interoperable defence technology and equipment.

2026-09-29
30 million euros
Open

Call synthesis

Call reference EDF-2026-LS-DA-SME
Programme EUROPEAN DEFENCE FUND
Institution European Commission
Sectors Justice, Security, Defence Research & Innovation Technology & Digital
Beneficiaries Smes & Start-Ups (< 249 Employees)

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Call reference

EDF-2026-LS-DA-SME



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Priorities and funded actions

Objectives

  • To encourage the driving role of innovative SMEs to turn technology and research results into defence products in a fast and cost-efficient way
  • To adapt solutions originally developed for civil applications and previously not applied in defence sector

Among financed actions

  • Activities that aim to increase interoperability and resilience to strengthen the security of supply or to enable the effective exploitation of results for defence products and technologies
  • Studies
  • Design of defence product
  • System prototyping of a defence produc
  • Testing of a defence product
  • Qualification of a defence product
  • Certification of a defence product
  • Development of technologies or assets increasing efficiency across the life cycle of defence products and technologies

Eligibility

  • Be legal entities (public or private bodies)
  • Be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
    • EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
    • Non-EU countries:
  • Be a small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the meaning of EU Recommendation 2003/361
  • Beneficiaries and affiliated entities must register in the Participant Register before submitting the proposal.
  • A consortium composed of minimum 3 independent applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 3 different eligible countries must be constituted.
  • The partners (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must be SMEs in the meaning of EU Recommendation 2003/361.
  • The coordinator must be an SME.

Additional information

  • Contact: DEFIS-EDF-PROPOSALS@ec.europa.eu

Useful

Financement
  • Total budget of the call: 30 million euros
  • Amount of the grant: must not exceed 6 million euros

The grant awarded may be lower than the amount requested.

  • Funding rate: between 20% and 100% of the total eligible costs

This grant is a lump sum grant.