Bringing together the European Defence Ecosystem
Innovators
Start-ups, SMEs, and small mid-caps developing defence technologies or dual-use solutions.
Eligible innovators can be:
- Established Players – Companies with market-ready products and initial sales.
- New Entrants – Innovators seeking to enter the defence sector.
Eligibility:
- Based in the EU, Norway, or Ukraine.
- Active in or aiming to join the European defence ecosystem.
Investors
Private equity firms, venture capital funds, and individual investors providing financing to defence innovators.
Eligible investors can be:
- Established Defence Investors – Already active in the defence.
- Investors looking to explore defence opportunities.
Eligibility:
- Must be registered in the EU, Norway, or Ukraine.
Corporates
Large defence companies operating at a scale beyond SMEs and small mid-caps.
Eligibility:
- Must be active in the defence market.
- Registered in the EU, Norway, or Ukraine.
End-users
Defence End-Users are organisations that utilise defence technologies and solutions or provide support to the defence industry, such as:
- Ministries of defence, including Procurement or innovation agencies, national armed forces,
- EU, multilateral or international defence organisations,
- Research organisations and other relevant entities.
Eligibility:
- Must have proven involvement in the European defence ecosystem (EU, Norway, or Ukraine).
What are the benefits?
The programme will provide targeted support to defence innovators, including start-ups, scale-ups and small mid-caps. Both companies that already work within the defence sector and those developing civilian applications with potential defence use will be able to participate. By participating in EUDIS Matchmaking, they will receive:
- Tailored matchmaking opportunities to facilitate access to capital and connect with potential clients and strategic partners.
- Support from dedicated success managers.
- Access to exclusive investor and industry networking events.
- A chance to showcase innovations at major tech shows and defence industry gatherings.
The EUDIS Matchmaking programme offers benefits for both established defence investors and those seeking to enter the defence market. Investors will gain:
- Access to a pipeline of innovative companies developing cutting-edge technologies and services for defence.
- Early insights into emerging defence market trends and technologies.
- A network of key stakeholders, including defence corporates and end-users.
- Dedicated capacity building workshops and events, aiming to facilitate a deeper understanding of the defence market and investment opportunities.
For established defence corporates, the programme serves as a structured platform for technological scouting and collaboration. Key benefits include:
- Access to strong network of European defence ecosystem players.
- Engagement with companies working on advanced defence and civilian applications with defence use cases who could act as potential suppliers, clients or strategic partners.
- Expanded networking opportunities, fostering cross-sector partnerships and innovation synergies.
Defence end-users, including military and governmental stakeholders, will gain direct access to emerging solutions tailored to operational and technological challenges. Through EUDIS Matchmaking, they can:
- Engage with defence innovators and discover cutting-edge technologies and solutions to address critical needs.
- Provide early-stage feedback for technology development.
- Collaborate with leading defence innovators to drive strategic capability development.
Matchmaking in action
