European Defence Tech Hackathon (EDTH)
Munich / Germany
The fastest way for engineers and early founders to plug into the European defence-tech builder scene, meet operators and get noticed by funds active in the space.
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- Dates
- Tue, 17 November 2026 – Thu, 19 November 2026
- Venue
- Fuar İzmir
- Location
- İzmir, Turkey
- Organizer
- NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA)
- Cost
- paid
- Scale
- regional
- Recurrence
- annual
- Format
- On-site
Market intel
Moderate pricingmedium confidence
NATO Edge 26 is expected to host around 200 exhibitors on the innovation floor, drawn from across the 32-nation Alliance.
- Confirmed participants already include defence-tech firms such as Rohde & Schwarz, CGI, GMV, Fortra, Hypori, Optics11, TomTom and MSAB.
- The event is growing edition-on-edition — NATO Edge 22 registered ~2,100 attendees and NATO Edge 24 drew ~1,800 participants with 140+ exhibitors.
Notable exhibitors
Rohde & SchwarzCGIGMVFortraHyporiOptics11TomTomMSAB
AI-researched Tue, 18 August 2026. Estimates from public sources. Verify with the organizer.
Why it matters
NATO Edge is the single most direct access point for defence and technology suppliers to NATO's procurement pipeline — attendees receive early visibility into NCIA's upcoming contracting requirements and can pitch directly to NATO end-users and decision-makers from all 32 Allied nations.
- For SMEs and startups, the Innovation Theatre format and dedicated networking create a level playing field alongside primes, making it one of the few events where a small company can realistically advance a business relationship with NATO.
- The 2026 Türkiye edition also opens doors to the Turkish defence industrial base and signals NATO's growing operational focus on the southern flank.
Registration
About
NATO Edge 26 is NCIA's flagship technology and industry-partnership event, held 17–19 November 2026 at Fuar İzmir in Gaziemir, Turkey.
- Now in its third edition, the event brings together government, military, industry and academic leaders from all 32 NATO nations to accelerate capability delivery and strengthen Alliance readiness.
- The 2026 format is redesigned to place industry at the forefront, featuring a 200-exhibitor innovation floor, high-level workshops, procurement briefings, and direct engagement between companies and NATO decision-makers and end-users.
- The programme focuses on four pillars: delivery, readiness, partnership, and innovation, covering AI, cyber defence, C2, space, interoperability and secure communications.
Topics
CyberAIC2 / Battle ManagementSpaceISR & Sensors
Who it's for
PrimesSMEsStartupsInstitutions
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