The EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026 has officially opened its call for participants. From 16 February, innovators from across Europe and beyond are invited to register and take part in one of the European Union’s flagship initiatives supporting defence innovation.
Now in its fourth edition, the EUDIS Defence Hackathon will take place from 26 to 28 March 2026, simultaneously across eight locations in the European Union and Norway. This year’s edition will focus on Defending Airspace, addressing critical challenges related to airspace protection, drone systems and emerging threats.
Building on three successful editions and more than 1,200 participants, the Spring 2026 edition continues the EU’s efforts to connect Europe’s “New Defence” ecosystem with real defence needs.
A Europe-wide innovation effort for experienced innovators
The hackathon is designed for startups, researchers, engineers, developers and defence professionals with the ambition and capability to turn ideas into deployable solutions. Participants will work intensively on real-world defence challenges, in close interaction with industry experts, defence stakeholders and end-users.
Beyond the hackathon weekend, EUDIS offers a unique pathway for innovators seeking to further develop their solutions within the European defence ecosystem.
Defending Airspace: the 2026 theme
The Defending Airspace theme responds to urgent and evolving challenges in airspace security, including drone detection, monitoring and protection systems. The challenges build on the European Union’s cooperation with Ukraine and reflect concrete operational needs faced by defence actors.
Participating teams will develop and prototype solutions in cooperation with experts and operators from the defence industry, ensuring that concepts are grounded in real-world use cases.
Beyond the hackathon: mentoring, pitching and visibility
Winning teams will benefit from a tailored mentoring programme designed to support the further development and real-life application of their solutions. This includes guidance from defence and innovation experts, as well as opportunities to refine business and deployment strategies.
In addition, selected teams will gain visibility at European-level events, access to pitching sessions, and opportunities to network with defence stakeholders, investors, industry representatives and EU institutions.
Ukrainian participation encouraged
DG DEFIS actively encourages Ukrainian citizens to participate in the Spring 2026 edition across all locations, as competitors, mentors or jury members. Ukrainian perspectives and operational insights continue to play a key role in shaping innovative and deployable defence solutions.
How to participate
Participant registrations are open from 16 February to 20 March 2026.
Timeline
- Participant registrations: 16 February – 20 March 2026
- Hackathon events: 26–28 March 2026
- Participant information session webinar: To be announced
Interested innovators can register and find more information on the official website:
👉 https://eudis-hackathon.eu
For media enquiries, partnerships or additional information, please contact:
📩 contact@eudis-hackathon.eu
