Privacy-preserving human-AI dialogue systems – Participation in a technological challenge
European Defence Fund (EDF)
Total budget: EUR 20,000,000
Project duration: 48 months
To develop high-performance human-AI dialogue systems for defence applications.
To ensure trust and usability of these systems across EU Member States and Associated Countries.
Research teams from eligible countries.
Defence users and military forces across EU Member States.
Eligible organization types: public or private legal entities.
Must be established in eligible countries.
Minimum 3 independent applicants from 3 different eligible countries required.
Eligible countries include EU Member States and associated countries.
Entities must not be controlled by non-associated third countries.
Proposals must address multilingual human-AI dialogue systems.
Must include mandatory activities such as generating and integrating knowledge.
Maximum grant amount per project: EUR 5,000,000.
Funding rate: 100% for eligible costs.
Submission deadline: 2025-10-16 17:00:00 CET.
Evaluation period: October 2025 - April 2026.
No prior funding restrictions mentioned.
No concurrent funding limitations specified.
Application Form Part A and Part B.
Mandatory annexes including detailed budget table and participant information.
Proposals evaluated based on excellence, innovation, competitiveness, and implementation.
Maximum score: 45 points; threshold: 30 points.
Proposals checked for admissibility and eligibility before evaluation.
Evaluation results communicated by April 2026.
Priority given to proposals demonstrating potential for disruption and cross-border cooperation.
Proposals must include a common testing environment for evaluation.
Systems must handle sensitive information appropriately.
Complexity of managing classified information.
Need for collaboration among diverse stakeholders.
Alignment with EU defence capability priorities.
Contribution to the objectives of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP).
Strong emphasis on collaboration may enhance project viability.
Potential for limited participation from non-EU entities.
Strong consortium with diverse expertise.
Clear alignment with grant objectives and requirements.
Failure to address mandatory activities.
Inadequate documentation leading to inadmissibility.
Engage with defence users early in the proposal process.
Ensure compliance with all eligibility criteria.
Highlight unique technological innovations.
Demonstrate potential for significant impact on defence capabilities.