Insights

Discover the upcoming funding opportunities in Horizon Europe's Cluster 3 for 2026 and 2027. More than €42 million is allocated for international consortia to enhance the protection of critical infrastructure.

Have your business visions outgrown the local market? Directly managed EU programs offer massive opportunities and budgets designed specifically for innovative companies ready to step up to the next level.

Excellence Hubs, Horizon Europe, WIDERA, Widening Participation, European Innovation Ecosystem, Quadruple Helix, Deep Tech Funding, Consortium Building

Planning an investment round in the defence sector? EIC STEP Defence provides equity funding between EUR 10 and 30 million. Learn how to structure your target round properly to comply with the 3 to 5x multiplier rule and secure the mandatory pre-commitment, avoiding formal mistakes right from the start.

The defense industry and the development of dual-use technologies face extreme financial demands that conventional market sources often cannot cover. For the very first time, the European Innovation Council (EIC) is paving the way for massive scale-up investments from EU funds. In this article, you will learn how to meet the strict conditions for co-investments, pass through the sieve of security clearances, and flawlessly prepare an application that will secure the necessary capital for your company's expansion.

The European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) is a €1.5 billion EU initiative designed to strengthen Europe’s defence industrial base, increase production capacity, and improve coordination among Member States. It responds to heightened security threats—especially following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—and aims to make Europe more self-reliant, interoperable, and resilient in defence.

AGILE is a pilot instrument set to accelerate the development and testing of disruptive defence innovations and their market uptake, such as artificial intelligence, quantum or drones, focusing on supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including start-ups and scale-ups. AGILE is designed for the ‘New Defence‘ players who move at high speed.

EIC Accelerator 2026: Why the Programme Is Becoming More Strategic for Deep-Tech Companies

Calls available under Cluster 3, covering challenges arising from persistent security threats, including cybercrime, as well as natural and man-made disasters. The "Civil Security for Society" program aims to effectively protect society, critical infrastructure, cultural assets, and our living environment from threats such as crime, terrorism, natural disasters, and other dangers. A key element of this is the involvement and targeted support of emergency services and decision-makers in the prevention, preparation, and management of crises and threat situations.