This European Defence Fund (EDF) call supports **lump sum Research Actions** dedicated to **small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)** and **research organisations (ROs)**, with the explicit aim of strengthening Europe’s defence innovation base and accelerating the uptake of innovative research results into future defence capabilities. The call is designed to encourage the driving role of innovative SMEs and ROs in delivering defence research, including the adaptation of technologies originating from civilian applications and solutions addressing the challenges of hybrid warfare.

The call targets **eligible consortia** under Articles 9 and 10(4) of the EDF Regulation. All consortium members must be SMEs (self-declared under Commission Recommendation 2003/361/EC) or research organisations (self-declared under the European Commission Rules for Legal Entity Validation). The **coordinator must be an SME**, ensuring SME leadership in project execution and exploitation planning. To preserve the SME-driven nature of the action, the **budget allocated to research organisations may not exceed 40% of the total requested grant amount**.

The topic funded under this call is **EDF-2026-LS-RA-SMERO-NT-STEP: Non-thematic research actions by SMEs and research organisations**. Several proposals may be selected, with an indicative overall budget of **35,000,000 EUR** for the topic. Each proposal can request up to **5,000,000 EUR** of EU contribution. Funding is awarded as **lump sum grants**, meaning projects must define clear work packages, milestones, and completion criteria that demonstrate progress and justify lump sum payments.

Projects must address **innovative technologies and solutions for defence**, including those that improve readiness, deployability, reliability, safety, and sustainability of forces in defence tasks and missions. Example application areas include operations, equipment, infrastructure, energy solutions, surveillance systems, and digital solutions. Proposals must align with **target investment areas set out in the STEP Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024/795)** and must reach at least **TRL 4**. In addition to original defence-focused research, the call explicitly welcomes **add-on research actions** that adapt solutions originally developed for civilian applications, where those solutions have not previously been applied in defence—supporting efficient spinning-in of civilian innovation to the defence sector.

Eligible activities include: generating knowledge (including disruptive technologies), integrating knowledge to increase interoperability and resilience (including secure data production/exchange and security of supply), studies (e.g., feasibility studies), and design work including definition of technical specifications and partial tests for risk reduction in industrial or representative environments. Activities such as system prototyping, testing, qualification, certification, and life-cycle efficiency technology development are not eligible within this research action topic. If studies are included, the proposal must also include at least one other eligible activity.

Proposals must present a clear work breakdown structure that maps tasks to eligible activity types and includes criteria to assess completion of each work package. Applicants should describe targeted functionalities and explain how progress toward these functionalities will be measured.

The expected impact is to produce innovative and cost-effective defence solutions; develop ground-breaking concepts and technological improvements (including transfer of technologies not previously used in defence); increase Europe’s innovation capacity through meaningful SME involvement; create future market opportunities and facilitate SME access to defence markets and supply chains; and strengthen European research and technology ecosystems as well as EU Member States’ and EDF associated countries’ defence supply chains.

Opening: 22.01.2026
Deadline(s): 29.09.2026