EUDIS (EU Defence Innovation Scheme)

EUDIS, the EU Defence Innovation Scheme, sits under the European Defence Fund and is meant to lower the barrier to entry for SMEs, start-ups, and other non-traditional defence innovators. The 2026 budget allocation is EUR 231 million, about 23 percent of the EDF envelope, and the scheme sits in the same work programme and submission environment as the wider fund. The programme mixes several instruments. The Business Accelerator offers EUR 120,000 non-dilutive vouchers in cohort format, twice a year. Cascade Funding routes can pass on grants of up to EUR 60,000 from EDF-winning consortia to SMEs, while the Defence Equity Facility channels venture investment through EIF. Non-thematic SME open calls also appear on the Funding and Tenders portal. EUDIS is the easiest entry point for smaller teams that need a first route into European defence markets rather than a large prime-led consortium. It is also the most flexible route in the EDF family, because it combines grant, acceleration, and equity tracks and has explicitly welcomed Ukrainian entities for matchmaking and cascade funding.

Each grant below is a distinct funding opportunity with its own eligibility, scope, and deliverables.