The EUDIS Defence Hackathon is an initiative driven by the European Commission to foster innovation in the defence sector. It aims to bring together the brightest minds across Europe to collaborate on key challenges related to defence, cybersecurity, and resilience.
Since its launch, the EUDIS Defence Hackathons has brought together more than 2,300 participants through 30 hackathons organised across Europe. Each edition strengthens connections between innovators, industry, investors, defence stakeholders and EU institutions, creating new opportunities for collaboration and helping innovative technologies move closer to real-world deployment.
The hackathon provides a unique opportunity for participants to engage with industry experts, tackle real defence issues, and contribute innovative solutions that enhance European defence capabilities. Through a blend of online and in-person events, the hackathon encourages teamwork, creativity, and technological advancement for a stronger European defence framework. The initiative is financed by the European Defence Fund (EDF), a programme of the European Commission.
The Spring 2026 edition of the EUDIS Hackathon, held under the theme "Defending Airspace", took place across eight cities in the EU. Over 48 hours of intense collaboration, participants, mentors, and defence experts came together to co-develop fast, deployable solutions. Once again, the EUDIS Hackathon proved to be a dynamic platform for defence-driven creativity and pan-European collaboration.
The 2026 Autumn Edition in Italy
The 2026 Autumn Edition of the initiative will take place simultaneously in Austria, Cyprus, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Portugal and Sweden. Fondazione SAFE, as the Local Organizer for Italy, will host the Autumn Edition in Soave (Verona) from October 15 to 17, 2026.
This edition will be dedicated to the theme “Autonomy on the Battlefield”, with three challenges focused on:
GNSS-Denied Navigation
Swarm Coordination
Counter-UAS
The EUDIS Defence Hackathon is designed for innovators who want to go beyond ideas. Over three intensive onsite days, teams will work side by side with mentors from the defence industry, research organisations and operational environments to develop solutions addressing genuine capability needs. The initiative represents an important opportunity to engage with industry experts, expand the personal network, and collaborate with leading industrial companies, including Leonardo, a partner in the initiative.
Winning teams will undergo a Mentoring Programme, a two-month programme offering expert guidance on product development, business strategy and defence market positioning. Participants will also take part in a dedicated defence innovation bootcamp, receive support to refine their solutions and have opportunities to pitch their projects to investors and other stakeholders. Together, these activities help accelerate promising ideas while opening the door to Europe’s defence innovation ecosystem.
For those interested in submitting a solution and participating in the hackathon challenges, it is necessary to pre-register at the dedicated link.
More information about the program, how to participate, and the next steps of the initiative will be shared by the organizers in the coming weeks. In the meantime, it is possible to follow Fondazione SAFE’s social media channels to stay updated on all the latest news regarding the hackathon.
