The European Commission is presenting a new funding programme, AGILE, to accelerate the development of defence technology. The programme is primarily aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), startups, and fast-growing companies, and encompasses 115 million euros.
In a press release from the European Commission, the programme is intended to shorten the time from research to practical application within defence. It will also support the development, testing, and commercialisation of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, quantum technology, and drones.
The background is the lessons drawn from the war in Ukraine, where rapid technological development and short innovation cycles have proven decisive on the battlefield.
– Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine has shown that success on the battlefield today depends on short innovation cycles, the ability to develop, test, and deploy new technology and cost-effective solutions within weeks or months rather than years. As modern warfare undergoes rapid digital and technological transformation, AGILE is designed for the new actors in the defence sector — startups and technology innovators that move at high speed, writes the European Commission in the press release.
In total, between 20 and 30 projects are expected to receive support, with the possibility of funding covering up to 100 per cent of eligible costs. The programme also includes a retroactive clause that allows companies to receive reimbursement for costs incurred up to three months before the application deadline.
The initiative encompasses both the development of new defence products and support for bringing solutions to market. According to the Commission, it will be tailored to the most pressing needs of member states. The goal is for funding decisions to be made within four months, and technology developed within the programme should be able to reach European defence forces within one to three years.
For AGILE to be implemented, the European Commission's proposal must be approved by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. If the process proceeds as planned, the programme is expected to be operational from the beginning of 2027.