Non-thematic development actions by SMEs
Pays SMEs up to EUR 6 million each to develop innovative defence products, solutions or technologies of their own choosing.
This call sits under the European Defence Fund and is run by the European Defence Agency acting on the Commission's behalf through a Contribution Agreement, which then issues lump-sum grants to winning SMEs. Proposals must already be at Technology Readiness Level 4 or above, addressing disruptive defence-relevant knowledge, products or technologies, or adapting a civilian technology not previously…
The European Defence Agency wants SME-led proposals for innovative defence products, solutions and technologies that improve the readiness, deployability, reliability, safety or sustainability of armed forces — spanning operations, equipment, infrastructure, energy, surveillance or digital solutions. It also welcomes proposals that adapt existing civilian technology, not previously used in defence, into a defence application.
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Guides for this application
All guides →TRL Levels Explained for Deeptech Founders
Learn what TRL levels mean, how to estimate technology readiness, and how TRL affects grants, EIC Accelerator, SBIR/STTR, funding stage, and application evidence.
DocumentsGrant Work Plan Template: Work Packages, Gantt, Milestones, and Risks
Use this grant work plan template to structure work packages, tasks, owners, deliverables, Gantt timing, dependencies, and risk registers.
DocumentsProof-of-Concept Data for Grants: Evidence Examples for Deeptech Applications
See how to present proof-of-concept data in grant applications, with examples for evidence registers, test logs, pilot data, and prior project proof.
Start hereStartup Funding Stages for Deeptech: From Lab to Scale
A deeptech funding roadmap that maps startup funding stages to TRL, grants, SBIR/STTR, EIC Accelerator, pilots, VC, and scale-up evidence.
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