European Defence Tech Hackathon (EDTH)

MSPO is one of the highest-value contracting forums in Europe: the 2025 edition saw over PLN 6 billion in defence contracts signed on-site, making it a critical venue for business development in Central and Eastern European procurement markets. Poland's status as one of the EU's most active defence spenders — with the largest NATO GDP-percentage defence budget — gives suppliers direct access to live procurement pipelines and senior ministry decision-makers. For SMEs and startups, the Canadian Lead Nation programme, B2B matchmaking, and the DEFENDER awards offer structured pathways to partnerships, export opportunities, and visibility with global primes and government buyers.

As NATO's flagship public-communications event in Central Europe, it puts allied air, land and rescue capabilities in front of national leadership, ambassadors, military attachés and hundreds of thousands of visitors, giving suppliers high-visibility exposure alongside primes and government forces. The Special Partner Nation mechanism (Germany in 2026) has historically opened industrial and political cooperation opportunities, and the show serves as a debut platform for new platforms and modernization programs relevant to Czech and allied procurement.

Podkarpackie is one of Central Europe's most established aerospace manufacturing bases, and this summit is the region's strategic move to pivot from aviation to drone/dual-use technology — directly relevant to defence suppliers and SMEs seeking to enter or expand in the UAS and dual-use market. The co-located Dual Use Challenge pitch finals offer startups direct access to VC funds, investors, and industrial primes on a single day. For defence-adjacent firms, the live airfield showcase at Stalowa Wola–Turbia — including counter-drone systems — provides rare hands-on demonstration access in a NATO-ally operational context.