ASMA — ASTRID Maturation

ASMA (ASTRID Maturation)

Funds maturation of prior French defence-funded research into technology-ready outputs with dual-use potential.

⚠ This may reflect a past cycle — verify the current call on the funder's site.

ASMA (ASTRID Maturation) is a two-stage competitive grant programme co-managed by the Agence de l'innovation de défense and the Agence Nationale de la Recherche. It funds the maturation of research results previously financed by the French Ministry of Defence, primarily through the ASTRID programme, into technology-ready outputs with clear dual-use potential. Individual awards reach up to €800,000 per project.

An ASMA application requires a consortium: at least one company and at least one public research organisation must participate; neither can apply alone. The source project being matured must have received financing or co-financing from the French MoD, and that source project must have formally closed within three years before this call's opening date. The 2026 cycle ran as a two-stage process: a Level 1 short proposal stage that closed on 16 February 2026 and a Level 2 full proposal stage with a deadline of 25 May 2026 at 13:00 CEST. Both stages were mandatory; teams not shortlisted at Level 1 could not proceed. As with all AID programmes, selected ASMA projects carry DGA prior-authorisation IP clauses over exclusive licensing or IP sale. AID provides the funding mandate and the DGA connection; ANR handles project contracting and operational monitoring.

For research teams that have completed an ASTRID or similar MoD-funded project and are ready to move results closer to application, ASMA is the natural next step in the AID funding ladder. Consortia with a motivated industrial partner and documented maturation pathway from the source project are most competitive. Teams must be prepared to comply with security requirements associated with defence-related IP and to demonstrate that the prior MoD project concluded within the three-year eligibility window.