Registrations have opened for the fifth edition of the EUDIS Defence Hackathon which will take place simultaneously in eight European countries, including Cyprus, from 15 to 17 October 2026.
According to a press release published by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS), the autumn edition will be held on-site in Cyprus, Austria, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Portugal and Sweden, and is aimed, among others, at engineers, startups and SMEs, researchers, developers and defence professionals.
According to the Commission’s press release, the main theme of this year’s event is 'Autonomy on the Battlefield,' with participants invited to develop technological solutions addressing real operational challenges.
Alongside the two common challenges, each host country will also propose a third challenge reflecting regional priorities and expertise.
Over the course of the three days, participants will work in teams with support from mentors from the defence industry, research organisations and operational environments, with the aim of developing solutions that address specific defence capability needs.
The Commission said the event also aims to connect participants with defence experts, end-users, companies and other actors in Europe’s defence innovation ecosystem.
Two-month programme for winning teams
For the teams that stand out, participation will not end with the Hackathon. According to the announcement, the winning teams will enter a two-month mentoring programme, during which they will receive specialised support on product development, business strategy and positioning in the European defence market.
Participants will also take part in a dedicated defence innovation bootcamp and will have opportunities to present their proposals to investors and other stakeholders.
Registrations for the autumn edition are already open, while the programme is aimed at startups and SMEs, engineering teams, researchers and technology professionals from eligible countries.
Register and find full details on the challenges, eligibility criteria and local hackathon locations at: https://eudis-hackathon.eu
(Source: CNA)
