1. Programme goal. Enable innovative, practice-ready security solutions that close current capability gaps of civil-security end users (authorities/organizations with security tasks, critical infrastructure operators, municipalities, etc.) through transdisciplinary, pre-competitive R&D conducted jointly by users, companies, and research. Strong emphasis on transfer to practice (including non-commercial uptake by users), measurable impact, and resilient society.
   What is funded. User-led or company-led collaborative projects (no single applicants) that (i) start from a concrete civil-security scenario, (ii) go beyond state of the art, (iii) include a credible use/uptake & dissemination plan (practice, market and/or policy), and (iv) involve all actors needed for transfer. A broad activity range is eligible—from application-oriented research on new technologies/concepts to advancing and qualifying existing solutions for new, unmet use cases. Legal/ethical/social aspects (e.g., data protection, liability) should be addressed when relevant.
   Who is eligible. End users, companies (incl. startups/SMEs), universities and research institutes, public authorities and their research units, and comparable institutions. Foreign partners can participate in justified cases (up to 20% of total grant volume); bilateral DE–AT projects are explicitly supported (see separate rules).
   Two modules.

• Module “End Users” (Anwender): Consortium initiated & coordinated by an end user; results must address urgent needs and be demonstrated/validated in realistic conditions (e.g., field trials, pre-commercial tests). Typical duration: 2 years (max. 3 with strong justification). Consortium: coordinating end user + 1–2 funded partners (research and/or company); in justified cases, +1 additional end user or user-linked training/research institution as funded partner. No R&D subcontracts to third parties.

• Module “Companies” (Unternehmen): Company-coordinated R&D with relevant end-user involvement (funded or associated). >50% of total requested funding must go to companies. Duration: 3 years (2 years for DE–AT cooperation).
  Key conditions. Collaborative pre-competitive R&D only (single-applicant projects are not eligible); clear objectives and success metrics; comprehensive plan for dissemination/valorisation (practice, market, policy); mid-term stop/go milestone is mandatory. Open Access is expected; science communication and broader visibility measures should be planned.
  Thematic scope (programme action fields). Proposals must map to one or more of: (1) Strengthen civil protection; (2) Tackle hybrid threats; (3) Support secure supply; (4) Increase population resilience; (5) Enable safe living.
  Funding model. Non-repayable grants. Companies (and economic activities) funded on cost basis with state-aid rules (AGVO/GBER); typical co-funding ≥50% of eligible costs (SME bonuses per GBER possible). Non-economic research actors/public authorities may be funded up to 100% of eligible expenditures (+20% overhead for universities/university hospitals). Simplifications: flat-rates possible for materials (5% of personnel) and travel (3% of personnel), both actually incurred and provable.

Deadlines / submission. Two fixed cut-offs per year: 15 March and 15 September. First cut-off 15 Sep 2024; last 15 Sep 2029. For DE–AT bilateral projects: 15 March annually, starting 15 Mar 2025. Electronic sketch submission via easy-Online (two-stage: sketch → full proposal on invitation).