EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026: Call for Participants 

The 4th edition of the EUDIS (EU Defence Innovation Scheme) Defence Hackathon will focus on defending the European airspace. Taking place simultaneously across eight locations in the European Union and Norway on 26–28 March 2026, the EUDIS Hackathon will gather innovators to create solutions for some of Europe’s toughest defence and airspace challenges. 

The Hackathon will gather participants to engage with industry experts, tackle real-world defence issues, and contribute to innovative solutions that enhance European defence capabilities. As of mid February, participants are invited to register to the event until 20 March. This is more than a competition; it is an entry point into Europe’s defence innovation network. 

By bringing together talent and expertise across Europe, the EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026 will contribute to a more competitive and innovative European defence industry, support skills development locally and strengthen links between civil deep-tech innovation and defence applications. 

Join the EUDIS Hackathon Spring 2026 edition at these locations 

1. Starburst Accelerator SAS – France 

1. Arribes Enlightment – Spain 

1. NORDSEC – Norway 

1. Stiching Dotspace – The Netherlands 

1. University of Defence (UNOB) – Czech Republic 

1. Oceanstrategy Unipessoal LDA (Productized) – Portugal 

1. Krakowski Park Technologiczny sp. z o.o. – Poland 

1. Romanian Tech Startups Association (ROTSA) – Romania 

The selected eight local organisers from the above-mentioned countries will lead the regional hackathons across Europe, bringing together startups, researchers, innovators and military end-users to tackle Europe’s most urgent defence and security priorities. These organisations are the driving force behind dynamic regional defence hackathons, bringing together top innovators and ensuring tangible impact on real-world defence and security scenarios.  

Since its launch, the EUDIS Defence Hackathon has evolved to be one of the European Union’s flagship instruments for accelerating innovation in the defence sector. Over the first three editions, the initiative has delivered 24 hackathons across Europe – engaging more than 1,200 participants from the EU, Norway and Ukraine. The Spring 2026 edition forms part of the EU’s broader initiative to strengthen defence readiness and accelerate disruptive innovation by 2030 – connecting Europe’s rapidly expanding “New Defence” ecosystem with specific real-life defence needs. 

The Defending Airspace theme addresses urgent challenges in our airspace protection and drone systems, building on the European Union’s cooperation with Ukraine. The hackathon format is designed around a set of defined challenges for what the participating teams will develop and prototype active solutions in cooperation with operators in the defence industry. 

Ukrainian Participation Encouraged Across All Locations 

The Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DEFIS) actively invites Ukrainian citizens to participate in the Spring 2026 edition of the EUDIS Defence Hackathon 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.

A Strong European Commitment to mentoring young defence innovators 

The EU Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, highlighted the importance of connecting startups with defence experts and end-users for an effective drone detection system: “The EU’s response to Russia’s ongoing war on Ukraine must be firm, united and immediate. Supporting the next generation of EUDIS Hackathon innovators is key to transforming our vision for drone detection and a resilient European defense into reality. The EUDIS Hackathon has generated unprecedented interest, highlighting the vast potential within our borders and reaffirming Europe’s leading role in shaping the future of innovation on the global stage. The Hackathon forges new paths, tackles challenges, and accelerates progress in defence and security. Providing strategic support and mentoring emerging innovators is the way forward to a strong EU space and defence sector.” 

Background 

The EUDIS Defence Hackathon offers a unique platform to gain insights into the European defence sector, connect with peers and experts, and leverage knowledge to tackle current defence challenges. These hackathons take place simultaneously in multiple locations across Europe, featuring the same set of challenges and timeline to: 

• Promote skills development and attract new talents to the defence sector from several regions of the European Union, Norway and Ukraine. 

• Foster connections between different communities, linking young researchers and innovators with defence industry experts and end-users such as the Armed Forces. 

• Provide an environment for creating innovative solutions, supporting the defence needs of EU Member States, Norway and Ukraine – contributing to a more competitive and innovative defence industry across all regions. 
• Increase awareness of EUDIS initiatives and programmes. 

Registrations for the EUDIS Defence Hackathon Spring 2026 is open! Join us in one of the eight regional locations or connect online to help shape the future of European defence. 

Timeline: 

• Participant registrations:til 20 March 2026

• Participant info session webinar: 4 March 2026 at 14:00 CET. Sign up here.

• Hackathon events across eight locations: 26-28 March 2026 

Sign up now at: https://eudis-hackathon.eu 

The EUDIS Hackathon is organised by a consortium led by Civitta together with Tehnopol, CARSA and Cecoforma.