Starburst Selected as Local Organiser for the EUDIS Defence Hackathon – Spring 2026
Starburst is proud to announce that it has been selected by the European Commission (DG DEFIS) as one of the Local Organisers for the EUDIS Defence Hackathon, Spring 2026, under the European Union Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS).
This selection reflects Starburst’s long-standing commitment to fostering innovation at the intersection of aerospace, defence, and dual-use technologies, and to strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy through entrepreneurship.
A Pan-European Initiative to Accelerate Defence Innovation
The EUDIS Defence Hackathon is a flagship initiative designed to stimulate agile, high-impact innovation across the European defence ecosystem. By bringing together startups, researchers, engineers, industry leaders, investors, and public authorities, the hackathon creates a structured environment where emerging technologies can be rapidly shaped into operationally relevant solutions.
In today’s rapidly evolving geopolitical and technological landscape, Europe must accelerate the development and deployment of sovereign capabilities. Initiatives such as EUDIS play a critical role in:
- Encouraging the development of dual-use technologies
- Bridging the gap between civilian innovation and defence needs
- Supporting the next generation of European defence entrepreneurs
- Strengthening collaboration across Member States
The hackathon format enables rapid ideation, prototyping, and validation, turning bold ideas into tangible solutions within a matter of days.
Starburst at the Heart of the Innovation Ecosystem
For over a decade, Starburst has operated at the centre of the global aerospace and defence innovation ecosystem. As a trusted partner to startups, corporates, investors, and government institutions, Starburst’s mission has been to accelerate the adoption of breakthrough technologies and to create meaningful bridges between innovators and end users.
Organising the EUDIS Defence Hackathon aligns perfectly with this mission. By serving as a Local Organiser, Starburst will:
- Curate high-potential teams and startups
- Mobilise leading mentors and technical experts
- Engage industrial and institutional stakeholders
- Ensure strong alignment between innovation outcomes and European defence priorities
Our role is not only to host an event, but to catalyse long-term collaboration and scalable impact across the ecosystem.
Driving Impact Beyond the Hackathon
The EUDIS Defence Hackathon is more than a standalone competition. It is a launchpad for future programmes, partnerships, and funding opportunities within the European defence innovation landscape. Starburst is committed to ensuring that promising solutions emerging from the hackathon receive continued support, visibility, and access to the right networks to scale.
We look forward to working closely with the European Commission, fellow organisers, mentors, partners, and participants to make the Spring 2026 edition a powerful catalyst for European defence innovation.
Applications
Participate as a Hacker: You are…
- A founding team active in dual-use or defence, applying with an existing MVP
- A founding team with a well-defined idea ready to be matured during the hackathon
- A researcher, student, engineer or defence enthusiast looking to join a team
- An individual contributor eager to apply your expertise to a real operational challenge
Participate as a Mentor: You are…
- A business expert active in a company addressing one of the challenges
- A technical expert with hands-on experience in relevant technologies
- A professional from the defence industry willing to guide emerging teams
- A current or former armed forces end-user ready to share lessons learned and operational feedback (RETEX)
Whether you build, advise, or have operated these capabilities in real conditions, this is your opportunity to shape the next generation of European defence innovation.
Deadline: 20 March 2026
Further details regarding participation, themes, and key dates will be announced soon.
Stay tuned.
