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Grant Details

Grant Analysis

Purpose & Target

The core objective of this grant is to develop full-size demonstrators for next-generation dismounted soldier systems (NGDSS). - This aims to enhance soldier effectiveness, resilience, and survivability in high-intensity operations. - Target recipient types include consortia composed of diverse entities such as military or civil test centres, research institutes, universities, industry, certification authorities, accelerators, and incubators. - The grant is SECTOR-SPECIFIC for Defence/Military Technology. - Geographic scope covers EU Member States, EDF Associated Countries, and Ukraine. - Key filtering criteria are a focus on advanced soldier systems, defence innovation, and the willingness to integrate Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) for SMEs and start-ups. - This is a 2025 call within the European Defence Fund (EDF) framework, implying recurring opportunities.

Financial Structure

  • Total budget for this topic: EUR 35,000,000.0.
  • Currency: EUR.
  • Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) allows for up to EUR 60,000 per entity for a maximum 6-month acceleration program.
  • Eligible costs include activities such as Studies, Design, System Prototyping, Testing, Qualification, Certification, and Development of technologies/assets increasing efficiency.
  • Costs related to FSTP implementation, technical mentoring, networking, business case support, and knowledge transfer to FSTP recipients are also eligible.
  • The grant expects co-financing, as indicated by the mention of a 'Cofinancing declaration' as a required document, but specific percentages are not provided.
  • Indirect costs are typically based on 'Actual indirect cost methodology', as indicated by a required declaration.

Eligibility Requirements

Organizational Type
  • Consortia are required, and may include diverse entities such as military or civil test centres, research institutes, universities, industry, certification authorities, accelerators, and incubators.
  • For Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP): Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), including start-ups, are eligible, particularly those not previously active in the defence sector.
Geographic Location
  • Main consortium members and FSTP recipients must be established in EU Member States, EDF Associated Countries, or Ukraine.
Project Requirements
  • Proposals must cover mandatory activities: Studies, Design, System Prototyping, and Testing.
  • Proposals must include a mechanism for providing Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) for SMEs/start-ups.
  • Projects must focus on developing the next-generation dismounted soldier system (NGDSS).
  • Projects must demonstrate an increase in technical maturity for proposed capabilities and enable evaluation under representative conditions.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Activities that solely aim to create, underpin, and improve knowledge, products, and technologies that generate knowledge (as defined by art 10(3)(a) EDF Regulation) are not eligible as the primary focus.

Application Process

Timeline and Deadlines
  • Submission Session availability: 2025-02-18.
  • Application Deadline: 2025-10-16 00:00:00+0000.
  • The FSTP component involves a maximum 6-month acceleration program for third parties.
Required Documentation and Submission
  • Specific Application Form (available in the Submission System).
  • Detailed budget table (EDF DA template).
  • Participant information (EDF template).
  • List of infrastructure, facilities, assets, and resources (EDF template).
  • Cofinancing declaration (EDF DA, DA LS AND ASAP template).
  • Actual indirect cost methodology declaration (EDF template).
  • Harmonised capability declaration (EDF DA AND DA LS template).
  • Declaration on procurement intent and common specifications (EDF DA AND DA LS template).
  • Ownership control declaration.
  • PRS declaration (EDF template).
Application Process
  • Applications must be submitted via the Electronic Submission Service on the Funding & Tenders Portal.
  • The process follows a single-stage submission procedure.
  • Proposal page limits and layout details are provided in Part B of the Application Form.
Support
  • For grant-related inquiries, contact: [email protected].
  • Additional resources include the Funding & Tenders Portal FAQ, EDF Info-days 2025, IT Helpdesk, Online Manual, and the EU Grants AGA – Annotated Model Grant Agreement.
Post-Award Requirements (for FSTP)
  • The awarded consortium is required to organize up to two sub-calls for FSTP recipients.
  • The consortium must select and award a target of minimum 5 and up to 10 entities per sub-call.
  • Provide technical mentoring, networking activities, and support for business case development to FSTP recipients.
  • Deliver necessary knowledge on doing business in the defence sector, including IPR protection, IPR strategies, and export control.
  • Implement a clear methodology to measure the FSTP's contribution to the innovation performance of supported SMEs (e.g., via indicators such as new or improved products/services, processes, marketing methods, organizational methods, resource efficiency, and turnover).

Evaluation Criteria

The explicit award criteria, scoring, and thresholds are detailed in section 9 of the official call document, which is not provided in this analysis. However, based on the grant's expected impact, objective, and scope, the following aspects are likely to be key scoring factors: Impact and Relevance
  • Contribution to the 2023 Capability Development Priority 'Future Soldier Systems'.
  • Ability to provide standardised and harmonised solutions for EU Member States and EDF Associated Countries.
  • Success in developing and increasing the maturity of innovative technologies specifically adapted to soldier needs.
  • Enhancement of EU industrial capacity in soldier systems and reduction of non-EU dependencies.
  • Creation of opportunities for smaller actors (SMEs, start-ups) in the defence sector, including those new to the field.
  • Promotion of technological edge and innovation.
Quality and Implementation
  • Clarity, soundness, and quality of the proposed concepts and open architecture for soldier systems.
  • Thoroughness and relevance of the detailed requirements analysis, incorporating end-user perspectives and lessons from recent conflicts.
  • Effectiveness and feasibility of proposed prototyping, testing, and evaluation activities.
  • Robustness and clarity of the FSTP implementation mechanism, including selection methodology, support provided, and methods for measuring impact on supported SMEs.
  • Demonstration of synergies and complementarities with existing or ongoing activities in ground combat capabilities and force protection.
Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) Specifics
  • Clear delineation of expected contributions from both main consortium beneficiaries and FSTP recipients.
  • Detailed description of the methodology for calculating the exact amount of financial support for third parties.
  • Presentation of clear payment arrangement options for third parties.
  • Identification of potential results and expected outcomes from FSTP involvement.
  • Clearly defined roles and responsibilities of the consortium concerning the management of FSTP.

Compliance & Special Requirements

Regulatory Compliance
  • Projects must adhere to the 'EU Financial Regulation 2024/2509' and 'EDF Regulation 2021/697'.
  • Compliance with rules for Legal Entity Validation, LEAR (Legal Entity Appointed Representative) Appointment, and Financial Capacity Assessment is required.
Technical Specifications
  • Focus on developing a next-generation dismounted soldier system (NGDSS) capable of facing new types of threats.
  • Mandatory development of an updated European open and modular architecture for Soldier Systems, including open-source interfaces for technology integration and networking.
  • Integration of innovative technologies, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR).
  • Emphasis on improving soldier survivability, ergonomics, reducing physical and cognitive load, and optimizing power management.
  • Projects must ensure interoperability and enhanced networking capabilities at squad and platoon levels, including interaction with manned combat vehicles and unmanned systems.
  • Solutions must enable operations in diverse and challenging environments (urban, confined spaces, GNSS-denied conditions).
  • The architecture must be modular, open, scalable, and cyber-secure, incorporating defensive cyber measures.
Intellectual Property (IP)
  • The consortium must provide FSTP recipients with knowledge on IPR protection, strategies, and specificities within the defence sector.
Risk Management & Security
  • Adherence to the 'EDF Programme Security Instruction (PSI)' is expected.
  • Solutions should address and adapt to new and evolving threats.
Special Considerations
  • Mandatory inclusion of Financial Support to Third Parties (FSTP) is a unique aspect, functioning as a 'cascade funding' mechanism to involve SMEs and start-ups, including those new to the defence sector.
  • The grant emphasizes strengthening the European Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB) and reducing dependencies on non-EU technologies and products.
  • Proposals should substantiate synergies and complementarities with existing EDF projects and NATO efforts.
  • FSTP recipients benefit from financial support, technical mentoring, and acceleration services aimed at creating a cross-border defence innovation network.

Grant Details

defence military soldier systems prototyping demonstrators sme startup technology ai ar robotics unmanned systems uas ugs combat vehicles force protection mobility open architecture interoperability cyber security european defence fund edf cascade funding fstp innovation eur eu member states edf associated countries ukraine
Full-size demonstrators for next generation soldier systems
EDF-2025-DA-PROTMOB-SS
European Defence Fund (EDF)
STARTUP SME UNIVERSITY OTHER
AT BE BG HR CY CZ DK EE FI FR DE GR HU IE IT LV LT LU MT NL PL PT RO SK SI ES SE UA
TECHNOLOGY OTHER
DEVELOPMENT EARLY_MARKET
0-10 11-50 51-250
FUNDING MENTORSHIP CAPACITY_BUILDING PILOT_PROJECTS
35000000.00
60000.00
35000000.00
EUR
100.00
Oct. 16, 2025, midnight
2025-10-17 to 2025-12-31