EU programmes · European Commission (DG DEFIS), with EUSPA and the EIF
The Commission's umbrella initiative for space entrepreneurship over 2021-2027, combining a €1 billion seed and growth funding facility, hackathons with mentoring, prize competitions, business acceleration, and partnering and matchmaking. The EUSPA-run CASSINI Challenges awarded €100,000 each to 12 winners in 2026. The 12th CASSINI Hackathon (27-29 November 2026) covers cybersecurity for space-based strategic enablers, space-enabled crisis response, and countering transnational crime with space data.
Space is treated as dual-use across EU funding; CASSINI gives space-defence start-ups an equity pipeline and visibility instruments that stack with EDF and EUDIS applications.
Dates not announced
Event runs 27-29 November 2026 across 10 European cities; registration open via the Taikai platform. Prizes up to €9,000 plus six months of mentoring.
Continuously open · €1 billion
Equity deployed through funds backed under InvestEU; companies access it by raising from participating investors.
Closes 26 Mar 2026 · 12 prizes of €100,000
Winners announced June 2026, award ceremony at CASSINI Entrepreneurship Days in Prague (30 September - 1 October 2026). Further editions expected under the initiative, which runs to 2027.
European Investment Fund with the European Commission, under InvestEU
Not a programme you apply to as a company, but it determines which European VCs have fresh defence-mandated capital; track its fund commitments to know who can actually write you a cheque.
European Investment Bank Group
Debt, not grants: the EIB now finances defence companies that banks still avoid, and venture debt from its one-stop shop can extend runway without dilution once you have revenue or strong contracts.
European Commission (European Innovation Council, Horizon Europe)
The only EU instrument giving a single dual-use company both grant and equity with no consortium requirement; since June 2026 you no longer need to disguise defence relevance as purely civil.
Next deadline 4 Nov