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Overview
The European Defence Fund supports collaborative defence research and development. EUDIS adds routes intended to involve innovators and SMEs, including dedicated SME calls and support to connect technology companies with the defence ecosystem.
Eligibility and ownership restrictions can rule out an otherwise suitable company.
Is this for you?
Success rates — the honest picture
Eligibility
- 1Read the topic's eligible-country, establishment and ownership-control requirements before building the consortium.
- 2Most collaborative actions require partners across eligible countries; SME and disruptive-technology topics can have specific rules.
- 3The proposed work must fit the defence scope and security requirements of the action.
Standard collaborative actions generally require three eligible entities in three eligible countries; disruptive-technology actions can use a two-country minimum. Read the exact exceptions and independence rules.
Ownership, control and security restrictions matter. Do not infer eligibility solely from an EU address.
BattleVerse targets SMEs and startups established in EU Member States, Norway or Ukraine. A single entity or a consortium of up to three can apply; research-organisation participation requires justification.
Main EDF applicants must satisfy establishment, executive-management and ownership/control requirements. Do not reuse broad Horizon Europe associated-country eligibility for defence funding.
2026 programme envelope
These amounts are not grants offered to a single startup. Topic and activity rules determine an application’s budget and funding rate.
The amended work programme distinguishes eligible activity types and financing ceilings. Do not quote a uniform EDF rate; use the main topic document or the cascade applicant guide.
How to apply — step by step
- 1Choose the exact EDF or EUDIS routeBefore consortium formation
Read the amended work programme and topic scope.
Official instructions - 2Confirm control and consortium eligibilityBefore proposal commitment
Check establishment, ownership/control, security and the partner requirements of the action.
Official instructions - 3Prepare the topic’s application packTopic deadline
Use portal templates plus financial, control and other annexes required by that call.
Official instructions
What evaluators look for
Excellence and innovation
Use the official award-criteria tutorial and topic description to understand the required technological advance.
Defence contribution and cooperation
Explain the defence need, European cooperation and expected contribution under the applicable criteria.
Implementation and financing
Demonstrate delivery capability and any required co-financing; assessment varies by action type.
Documents you'll need
Latest main programme and call-topic documents; includes the April amendment.
- Contains:
- Latest main programme and call-topic documents; includes the April amendment.
- Why:
- Consult the current issuing-body version for this route.
- When:
- Before selecting the topic and again before submission.
Activity categories, financing rules and programme tables.
- Contains:
- Activity categories, financing rules and programme tables.
- Length:
- 50 pages
- Why:
- Consult the current issuing-body version for this route.
- When:
- Before selecting the topic and again before submission.
Technical outcomes and scope for each main-round topic.
- Contains:
- Technical outcomes and scope for each main-round topic.
- Length:
- 178 pages
- Why:
- Consult the current issuing-body version for this route.
- When:
- Before selecting the topic and again before submission.
Startup/SME route, eligible locations, six-month experiments and €60,000-per-beneficiary ceiling.
- Contains:
- Startup/SME route, eligible locations, six-month experiments and €60,000-per-beneficiary ceiling.
- Why:
- Consult the current issuing-body version for this route.
- When:
- Before selecting the topic and again before submission.
Current project call and submission-platform access; verify the applicant guide for the final terms.
- Contains:
- Current project call and submission-platform access; verify the applicant guide for the final terms.
- Why:
- Consult the current issuing-body version for this route.
- When:
- Before selecting the topic and again before submission.
Commission summary of the first cascade-funding opportunity.
- Contains:
- Commission summary of the first cascade-funding opportunity.
- Length:
- 1 page
- Why:
- Consult the current issuing-body version for this route.
- When:
- Before selecting the topic and again before submission.
Main-round submission closed; Commission reports €1.006B envelope and results expected by March 2027.
- Contains:
- Main-round submission closed; Commission reports €1.006B envelope and results expected by March 2027.
- Why:
- Consult the current issuing-body version for this route.
- When:
- Before selecting the topic and again before submission.
Annual calls, work programme, guidance and application resources.
- Contains:
- Annual calls, work programme, guidance and application resources.
- Why:
- Use the issuing body’s current version when preparing an application.
- When:
- Before submission
Official landing page for the current amended annual work programme.
- Contains:
- Official landing page for the current amended annual work programme.
- Why:
- Use the issuing body’s current version when preparing an application.
- When:
- Before submission
Topic scopes, expected outcomes and technical requirements.
- Contains:
- Topic scopes, expected outcomes and technical requirements.
- Why:
- Use the issuing body’s current version when preparing an application.
- When:
- Before submission
Official tutorial explaining activity-dependent funding rates and bonus rules.
- Contains:
- Official tutorial explaining activity-dependent funding rates and bonus rules.
- Length:
- 10 pages
- Why:
- Use the issuing body’s current version when preparing an application.
- When:
- Before submission
Official tutorial on assessment criteria.
- Contains:
- Official tutorial on assessment criteria.
- Length:
- 13 pages
- Why:
- Use the issuing body’s current version when preparing an application.
- When:
- Before submission
SME-focused opportunities within the defence innovation scheme.
- Contains:
- SME-focused opportunities within the defence innovation scheme.
- Why:
- Use the issuing body’s current version when preparing an application.
- When:
- Before submission
2026 Deadlines
- 2026-09-142026-09-14BattleVerse cascade call opened
Commission-announced opening; the project website has a conflicting year label.
- 2026-11-162026-11-16BattleVerse submission deadline
17:00 CET; separate project-run cascade application.
- By March 2027By March 2027Main 2026 EDF evaluation results expected
Commission indicative timetable, not a new application deadline.
- Six monthsSix monthsSelected BattleVerse experiments
Duration after project start; coaching accompanies the financial support.
After you're funded
Research and development activities have different funding rules; the official rates tutorial explains bonus conditions. Confirm any unfunded share before contracting.
The agreement governs security, IP, deliverables, reporting and cost evidence; use the Commission’s implementation tutorials.
Practical notes
Eligibility and ownership restrictions can rule out an otherwise suitable company. Resolve those questions before spending time on a technical proposal.
Official sources checked on 12 October 2026. Calls can be amended; confirm the current terms and exact submission time in the linked official documents.
The BattleVerse topics include decision-support language models, simulation and distributed AI. Use the project’s own submission service; its experiment contract and payment schedule differ from an EDF coordinator grant.
Key Features
Official links & resources
- EDF funding rates and bonuses
- EDF award criteria
- EDF 2026 work programme and amendments
- EDF 2026 amended work programme
- EDF 2026 amended topic descriptions
- BattleVerse cascade-call announcement
- BattleVerse application resources
- BattleVerse official cascade-call factsheet
- 2026 main EDF round: evaluation update
Frequently Asked Questions
A technology business with an eligible defence application and partners suited to a specific EDF topic. This is distinct from Horizon Europe's civil-only R&D routes.
Funding rates depend on whether the activity is research or development and on applicable bonuses. Up to 100% is possible for eligible research; do not assume full funding for every development activity.
The main 2026 EDF round is closed. BattleVerse is a separate cascade opportunity closing 16 November 2026 at 17:00 CET; it supports six-month experiments with up to €60,000 per beneficiary. Use its own applicant guide and submission platform.
Related Programmes
STEP Platform
EIC STEP Scale Up: €10-30m per company (equity only); EIC STEP Defence Scale Up: €10-30m per company (equity only, deadline 28 Oct 2026)
View programme →Horizon Cluster 4
Topic-specific project grants
View programme →Chips JU
Grant size depends on the topic
View programme →Explore Further
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