The Spring 2026 edition of the EUDIS Defence Hackathon will take place simultaneously across eight locations in the European Union and Norway from 26-28 March 2026, bringing together regional innovation ecosystems to address key European defence and security challenges. Implemented under the European Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS) and supported by the European Defence Fund (EDF), the hackathon form part of the European Union’s broader initiative to strengthen defence readiness and accelerate disruptive innovation by 2030.
Local Organisers Driving Regional Defence Innovation
Eight organisations have been selected as local organisers for the EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026:
- Starburst Accelerator SAS – France
- Arribes Enlightment – Spain
- Fremtidens Industri (Future Innovations) – Norway
- Stiching Dotspace – The Netherlands
- University of Defence & JIC. – Czech Republic
- Oceanstrategy Unipessoal LDA (Productized) – Portugal
- Krakowski Park Technologiczny sp. z o.o. – Poland
- Romanian Tech Startups Association (ROTSA) – Romania
The organisers will host regional hackathons and act as key actors within their ecosystems – bringing together startups, researchers, the industry, defence end-users and public authorities.
Ukrainian Participation Encouraged Across All Locations
Ukrainian citizens are encouraged to participate in the EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026 across all locations. Ukrainian participants are encouraged to join as competitors, mentors or jury members, ensuring that Ukrainian perspectives and operational insights continue to contribute to the development of innovative, deployable solutions aligned with the defence priorities.
Focus on defending the European airspace
The Spring 2026 edition will focus on Defending Airspace, a strategic theme addressing urgent needs in airspace protection and drone defence. Participants will work on a set of defined challenges supported by Local Organisers through dedicated ‘hackathon’ and ‘makeathon’ formats, enabling rapid development and prototyping of innovative, dual-use solutions aligned with European defence priorities.
Supporting Talent Through Mentoring
Participants will benefit from access to the EUDIS Mentoring Programme, a post-hackathon acceleration track designed to support winning teams in advancing their solutions, strengthening feasibility and preparing for engagement with defence stakeholders, investors and EU programmes.
A Proven Platform for European Defence Innovation
Since its launch, the EUDIS Defence Hackathon has evolved into one of the European Union’s flagship instruments for accelerating innovation in the defence sector. Over its first three editions, the initiative delivered 24 hackathons across Europe, engaging more than 1,200 participants from the European Union, Norway and Ukraine.
What’s Next
Registrations for the Spring 2026 EUDIS Defence Hackathon are now officially open. Participants can join one of the eight regional locations or connect online to help shape the future of European defence.
Sign up now at: https://eudis-hackathon.eu/local-organisers/
Key dates:
- Participant info session webinar: TBD
- Hackathon Event across eight locations: 26-28 March 2026
For further information, please contact:
contact@eudis-hackathon.eu
