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Horizon Europe

Horizon Europe is the main Research and Innovation Funding Programme of the European Commission.

Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 is the previous Funding Programme. There are no longer calls, but projects can run until 2024.

Digital Europe

Digital Europe is a Funding Programme focused on bringing digital technology to businesses, citizens and administrations.

Other EU Funding

There are many other relevant EU funding programmes, managed by several agencies and directorates.

Defence (NATO, EDA)

There are several other initiatives that are worthwile looking at. You can find more initiatives @ NATO or @EDA (European Defence Agency)

Your NCP contact for this programme

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Mark Antonissen

mark.antonissen@vlaio.be

+32 2 432 43 05

About this programme

NATO

Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA)

What DIANA offers

DIANA leverages its acceleration programme and test centre network to bring start-ups together with operational end users, scientists, and systems integrators to advance compelling deep tech with dual-use solutions for the Alliance.

Companies accepted into the DIANA accelerator programme gain access to:

  • grants to support technology development and demonstration, and participation in the DIANA accelerator programme.
  • 10+ accelerators across the Alliance, with more planned over the coming years
  • 90+ test centres (with more planned) across the Alliance where entrepreneurs can de-risk, and demonstrate and validate their proposed dual-use technological solutions
  • mentoring from scientists, engineers, industry partners, end users, and government procurement experts
  • an investor network for trusted third-party funding
  • opportunities to demonstrate technology in operational environments
  • pathways to market within the NATO enterprise and 31 Allied markets

Emerging Disruptive Technologies

Emerging and disruptive technologies are changing the way the Alliance operates in times of peace, crisis, and conflict. To sharpen NATO’s technological edge, Allied nations are working together with the private sector to adopt and integrate new technologies and shape standards.

Among other technology areas, DIANA will focus on big data, artificial intelligence (AI), autonomy, quantum, biotechnologies and human enhancement, energy and propulsion, novel materials and advanced manufacturing, hypersonics and space – specifically where they are dual-use (civilian and defence) and deep tech in nature, and where they can be used to solve challenging defence and security problems.

NATO’s Principles
of Responsible Use*

  • Lawfulness
  • Responsibility
  • Accountability
  • Explainability
  • Traceability
  • Reliability
  • Governability
  • Bias Mitigation
* for AI in defence applications.

Governance

All NATO nations are members of DIANA. The DIANA Board of Directors is responsible for governance – and comprises representatives from every Allied country.

 

NATO Innovation Fund (NIF)

Investing EUR 1 billion in deep tech to secure the future of the Alliance’s 1 billion citizens

Why

The NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) was created to supercharge the Alliance’s unique innovation ecosystems. Allied talent and research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are world-leading, but the market to support deep tech innovation is underfunded. With the NIF, we are creating a commercialisation machine in both the private and public sectors, backing innovators to secure the future for the Alliance's 1 billion citizens.

Focus

The NIF is a standalone EUR 1 billion venture capital fund supporting ambitious founders developing emerging and disruptive technologies. For us, high-impact verticals include artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, energy & propulsion, manufacturing, and space. We are passionate about autonomy, hypersonics, new materials and quantum, and want to shore up cutting-edge hardware and software.

Rallying around NATO’s Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDTs), our focus will evolve in parallel with today’s rapid innovation environment.

 

EDA (European Defence Agency)

The European Defence Agency (EDA) supports its 27 Member States in improving their defence capabilities through European cooperation. Acting as an enabler and facilitator for Ministries of Defence willing to engage in collaborative, capability projects, the Agency has become the ‘hub’ for European defence cooperation with expertise and networks allowing it to cover the whole spectrum.

EDA plays an important support and implementation role in all the EU defence initiatives. These tools are designed to raise the EU’s level of ambition; through the Capability Development Plan (CDP), Coordinated Annual Review on Defence (CARD), Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) and European Defence Fund (EDF).
 
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Testimonial

image of AgrifoodTEF - the AI Testing & Experimentation Facility for the agri-food sector

AgrifoodTEF - the AI Testing & Experimentation Facility for the agri-food sector

The AgrifoodTEF, funded under the Digital Europe call for a Testing and Experimentation Facility for Agri-Food, is a network of world-class testing and experimentation facilities (TEFs) in the agri-food sector that supports testing state-of-the-art data, AI, and robotics solutions in real-world environments to accelerate their market introduction. ILVO, Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Flemish node of the AgriFoodTEF supports the entire agri-food business, leveraging its infrastructures, experience and vast network established through participation in numerous Digital Europe and Horizon Europe initiatives.