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Published on | 3 weeks ago
ProgrammesBraveTech EU has opened applications for DefTech Forges, a series of in-person defence technology competitions for EU, Norwegian and Ukrainian startups and SMEs with TRL 4+ solutions. The programme offers six grants of €120,000 and a possible route to further testing with the European Defence Agency and up to €750,000 in follow-on funding. Applications are open until 6 September 2026.
DefTech Forges is part of the BraveTech EU flagship programme for defence and dual-use technologies. It is designed for companies developing prototype-stage solutions that respond to urgent battlefield needs in Ukraine and wider European security challenges. 40 selected companies will get the possibility to attend offline multi-day challenge events at military facilities, where they can test technologies in practice and receive feedback from military and technical experts.
The current call focuses on five challenge areas:
🔹 Multi-mode guidance systems for missiles and UAVs — passive, semi-active and active guidance technologies designed to engage targets in a range of conditions
🔹 Autonomous strike UAVs — AI-enabled loitering munitions, FPV platforms and decentralized swarm coordination with minimal operator involvement
🔹 Modular UAV systems — rapid payload changes and fast mission reconfiguration
🔹 Detection systems — sensors and sensor networks for battlefield detection
🔹 EW-resilient UAV platforms and flight controllers — technologies that enable UAVs to navigate and operate in environments affected by electronic warfare
Applications are open until September 7
Six winners are expected to receive €120,000 each. Successful teams may also move on to further testing with the European Defence Agency and compete for up to €750,000 in additional support for development and scale-up.
The in-person events are expected to take place around 9–13 November 2026 in Germany and Romania.
BraveTech EU is funded by the European Commission, supported by Brave1 and the European Defence Agency, and implemented by Starburst, Civitta and Darkstar. More information and the application form are available at https://eu.brave1.tech/
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