Programme Category
Programme Name
Programme Description
The European Defence Fund (EDF) is the Commission’s initiative to support collaborative defence research and development, and to foster an innovative and competitive defence industrial base.
Identifier Code
Call
Summary
This call topic aims to fund proposals that can deliver ‘disruptive technologies for defence’, as defined in Article 2(13) of the EDF Regulation. This refers to enhanced or entirely new technologies that bring about a radical change, including a paradigm shift in the concept and conduct of defence affairs, for example by replacing or rendering obsolete existing defence technologies.
This call topic contributes to the STEP objectives, as defined in the STEP Regulation.
Proposals must address disruptive knowledge, products and technologies in any area of defence interest6 from TRL 4 and above7 (e.g., Artificial Intelligence, quantum technologies, autonomous systems, robotics, advanced materials). Funding will not be provided without a clear technological objective targeting defence applications.
Detailed Call Description
Proposals must demonstrate their disruptive impact on defence applications in order to accelerate the creation and deployment of novel solutions for armed forces and to support the uptake and diffusion of innovations in the defence sector. Therefore, they must focus on at least one of the following:
- rapidly enhancing of operational readiness and effectiveness;
- improving strategic decision-making processes;
- addressing emerging threats through cutting-edge technologies or products;
- embracing disruption to enable armed forces to gain a technological edge, and adapting to rapidly evolving security challenges;
- ensuring extensive technological superiority over potential adversaries.
Proposals must have the following essential characteristics:
- A disruptive impact in a defence context: the proposals must clearly demonstrate how the proposed solutions would have a disruptive effect if integrated into a realistic military operation;
- A radical vision: the proposals must present a clear and compelling vision enabled by a new or enhanced technological concept that challenges current paradigms.
- A clear output orientation: the proposals must create, develop or improve a technology that brings about radical change, including a paradigm shift in the way defence affairs are conceived and conducted, such as by replacing existing defence technologies or rendering them obsolete.
Proposals should aim to create, underpin and improve defence products and technologies with the potential to significantly disrupt the battlefield, or to develop technologies or assets that can increase the efficiency of defence products and technologies. Proposals should therefore aim to design a defence technology or product to be ready for validation or propose systems proven in operational environments, with the objective of achieving a rapid time-to-market.
The proposals should include clear descriptions of the technical goals and metrics to assess work package completion.
If you opt for implementing FSTP, the proposal must describe how FSTP is planned to be used in the project and how entities with relevant expertise are expected to contribute to its implementation.
Call Total Budget
Financing percentage by EU or other bodies / Level of Subsidy or Loan
100%
Thematic Categories
- Energy
- Industry
- Information and Communication Technologies
- Information Technology
- Justice - Security
- Research, Technological Development and Innovation
- Small-Medium Enterprises and Competitiveness
Eligibility for Participation
- Businesses
- Educational Institutions
- Large Enterprises
- Legal Entities
- Legal Entities under Public Law
- Other Beneficiaries
- Private Bodies
- Researchers/Research Centers/Institutions
- Semi-governmental organisations
- Services Providers
- Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)
- State-owned Enterprises
Eligibility For Participation Notes
In order to be eligible, all applicants (beneficiaries and affiliated entities) must cumulatively:
- be legal entities (public or private bodies)
- be established in one of the eligible countries, i.e.:
- EU Member States (including overseas countries and territories (OCTs))
- non-EU countries:
- listed EEA countries and countries associated to the EDF Programme (‘EDF associated countries’; list of participating countries)
- have their executive management structure established in eligible countries
- not be subject to control by a non-associated third country or non-associated third-country entity (unless they can provide guarantees – see Annex 2 approved by the Member State or EDF associated country where they are established)
Call Opening Date
Call Closing Date
National Contact Point(s)
Ministry of Defense
Address: 172-174 Strovolos Avenue, 2048 Strovolos, Nicosia
Telephone: 22 807500
Email: defence@mod.gov.cy
Website: https://mod.gov.cy/
Department of Research and Innovation
Telephones: 22 807755, 22 807754
Email: research.innovation@mod.gov.cy