The European Commission has proposed a €115 million pilot fund to fast-track defence technology from European start-ups, cutting the time from application to grant to just four months. Watch the video.
The European Commission’s new initiative, called AGILE, Accelerating Groundbreaking Innovation for Defence in Europe, targets small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups and scale-ups working on AI, drones, robotics, quantum technology and cybersecurity. Unlike existing funds, it does not require companies to form consortia to apply.
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The Commission describes the gap between a working prototype and a deployed capability as the "innovation valley of death." AGILE is designed to close it, offering up to 100% cost coverage and a retroactive clause allowing firms to claim costs incurred up to three months before a call closes.
Between 20 and 30 projects are expected to be funded, with technologies targeted for deployment to defence forces within three years.
AGILE sits between the European Defence Fund, which covers research and development and the European Defence Industry Programme, which handles production and procurement at scale.
It remains a proposal, subject to approval by Parliament and Council. If passed, the Commission says it should be operational from early 2027.