EU programmes · European Defence Agency (EDA), Hub for EU Defence Innovation (HEDI)
HEDI-OPEX is EDA's flagship recurring field-testing programme that places advanced-stage defence technologies into realistic, scenario-based military environments to validate their operational readiness. Run under the Hub for EU Defence Innovation (HEDI), the campaign brings together European industry — including SMEs — innovators, Member State military end-users, and defence experts for immersive cross-domain experimentation. The 2026 edition is hosted by Portugal at the Santa Margarida Military Training Area (a national regulatory sandbox) in conjunction with the Portuguese Army's ARTEX26 exercise, focusing on autonomous systems, loitering munitions, logistics support, and adversarial counter-drone testing. Participation in the field testing is offered free of cost to selected companies.
OPEX offers defence-tech companies and SMEs a rare, cost-free pathway to demonstrate technical maturity directly to military decision-makers and EU Member State end-users — without the constraints of standard peacetime regulations. Results from experimentation feed directly into European capability development, procurement, and standardisation decisions, accelerating the transition from prototype to deployable capability. For firms seeking visibility with EU-level defence institutions and a shortcut across the 'valley of death', selection for an OPEX campaign is a high-impact, non-dilutive opportunity.
European Commission (DG DEFIS), with EUSPA and the EIF
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.
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.