The 5th edition of the EUDIS Defence Hackathon is here, and we are looking for our next 8 Local Organisers

After bringing together over 1,800 participants and generating more than 500 innovative solutions to shape the future of European defence, the EUDIS Hackathon returns this autumn, stronger than ever. From 15 to 17 October, eight simultaneous hackathons will take place across Europe - and we are now launching the search for the eight Local Organisers who will host them.

Powered by the European Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS), under the European Defence Fund (EDF), the initiative has a clear objective: to accelerate innovation that strengthens Europe's defence readiness and supports the development of cutting-edge dual-use solutions.

In less than three years, the EUDIS Defence Hackathon has already organised 30 hackathons across the 27 Member States and Norway. Through these events, we have built a growing community of over 2,300 people across Europe, bringing together startups, engineers, industry professionals and defence experts as participants, mentors and jury members.

For this edition, the EUDIS Defence Hackathon will focus on a key challenge shaping modern defence: Autonomy on the battlefield. As operations become more complex and contested, systems must be able to operate, adapt and collaborate with limited human intervention. Participants will be invited to find solutions to three challenges:

• Challenge 1: GNSS-Denied Navigation. Autonomous systems that can navigate and operate effectively without GNSS, using onboard sensors and real-time perception. Develop or use data from quantum sensors (e.g. accelerometers, gravimeters and quantum imaging), which offer advantages such as navigation without GPS, the detection of underground structures, and enabling non-line-of-sight perception.
• Challenge 2: Swarm Coordination. Develop a multi-agent drone or robot swarm that can collaborate to complete a mission (e.g. search and rescue, mapping or target tracking) with minimal human control and include optimisation using quantum simulation.
• Challenge 3: defined by each local organiser individually, to allow for better reflection of needs and possibilities of local ecosystems.

Would you like to become a Local Organiser?

Hosting an EUDIS Defence Hackathon is more than organising an event, it is an opportunity to position your organisation at the heart of Europe's defence innovation ecosystem.

As a Local Organiser, you will:

• Strengthen your visibility at both national and European level in the defence innovation space.
• Connect your local innovation ecosystem with real operational defence needs.
• Bring together startups, engineers, researchers and defence experts to collaborate on real-world challenges.
• Contribute to bridging civil deep-tech capabilities with defence applications.
• Support the development of solutions with real deployment and dual-use potential.
• Provide winning teams with access to the EUDIS Mentoring Programme to accelerate their growth.
• Receive €60,000 funding from the European Commission to support the organisation of the event.

By taking part, you will directly contribute to shaping Europe's future defence innovation landscape.

Stay tuned to our website and social media, to join our upcoming online information session, where we will walk you through the application process and share practical tips to help you build a strong proposal. Date will be confirmed soon!

The deadline to apply as a local organiser is the 31 May 2026.

Organisations from all EU Member States and Norway are invited to apply and become part of a Europe-wide initiative driving the next generation of defence innovation.

Ready to take part?

Visit the EUDIS website to explore the theme and challenges, consult the Guide for Applicants, and start preparing your application.

For more information, please visit the EUDIS website or contact: [email protected].