Registrations have opened for the fifth edition of the EUDIS Defence Hackathon, which will bring together technology developers, researchers, startups, engineers, and defence professionals across Europe from 15 to 17 October 2026.
The three-day event will be held simultaneously at eight locations in Austria, Cyprus, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Norway, Portugal and Sweden, with participants invited to develop practical technologies addressing operational defence requirements.
The initiative, driven by the European Commission through the European Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS) and financed under the European Defence Fund, is designed to connect emerging technologies with defence needs and provide innovators with opportunities to work directly with experts from the sector.
Focus on autonomy on the battlefield
The central theme of the Autumn 2026 edition will be “Autonomy on the Battlefield”, reflecting the increasing role of autonomous technologies in modern military operations.
Participants will work on two common challenges. The first concerns the ability of systems to navigate and operate in environments where Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are unavailable or deliberately disrupted. The second focuses on autonomous swarms, including their potential application in reconnaissance and logistics.
In addition, each of the eight host locations will introduce a third challenge reflecting its own regional priorities, technological expertise and defence ecosystem.
The objective is to move beyond conceptual ideas and develop solutions with practical relevance to real operational requirements.
From development to application
During the onsite hackathon, participating teams will work intensively alongside mentors drawn from the defence industry, research organisations and operational environments. The format is intended to facilitate direct interaction between innovators and potential users while helping teams refine their technological concepts.
The organisers are positioning the hackathon as a potential entry point for innovators seeking industry cooperation, market knowledge or future opportunities.
The EUDIS programme also extends beyond the three-day event.
Winning teams will enter a two-month Mentoring Programme, where they will receive specialist guidance covering product development, business strategy and positioning within the defence market. They will additionally participate in a dedicated defence innovation bootcamp, receive assistance in further developing their solutions and have opportunities to present their projects to investors and other relevant stakeholders.
More than 2,300 participants across Europe
According to the organisers, more than 2,300 participants have taken part in 30 hackathons organised across Europe. The Spring 2026 edition, which focused on defending airspace, involved 582 participants, 169 teams and 167 mentors and experts across eight locations.
The local organisers include Defence Innovation Hub Austria, C.D. Multimedia Services in Cyprus, DCU in Ireland, Fondazione SAFE in Italy, the University of Latvia, Kjeller Innovasjon in Norway, Startup Leiria in Portugal and Linköping Science Park in Sweden.
The European Commission is also encouraging Ukrainian citizens to participate in the hackathon. Participation is open across the different locations and can include roles as competitors, mentors or jury members, recognising the value of Ukrainian technological expertise and operational experience.
The Autumn 2026 EUDIS Defence Hackathon is open to startups, small and medium-sized enterprises, engineering teams, researchers and technology professionals from eligible countries.
Register today and find full details on the challenges, eligibility criteria, and local hackathon locations at: https://eudis-hackathon.eu
Source: European Commission