Open Call for Cutting-Edge Defence Solutions
European Defence Fund · Cascade funding
Summary
A Polish company can use this call for R&D.
Funds six-month defence technology experiments by SMEs and startups, optionally with complementary partners, covering AI planning, simulation and autonomous systems.
- Who can apply
- Companies can lead: SME, startup, large company, research org, university, other.
- Amount
- €180K per projectTotal budget €1,200,000
- Deadline
- 16 Nov 2026 19:00 CETin 23 days
- Status
- Openopened 14 Sept 2026
Machine-classified from the call text; check eligibility at the source.
Description
The BattleVerse 1st Open Call aims to support the development and validation of innovative technological solutions that contribute to advanced mission planning, simulation, training and execution in defence related environments. Selected applicants will implement a six-month experiment, developing and demonstrating their proposed solution and assessing its potential contribution to the BattleVerse ecosystem.
Proposals shall address one of the following three technical topics:
Topic 1: LLMs for strategic decision-making, symbolic reasoning, game theory and planning under uncertainty. Experiments under this topic will explore the use of Large Language Models (LLMs) and AI-based approaches to support strategic decision-making and mission planning, including symbolic reasoning, game-theoretic modelling, planning under uncertainty and human-in-the-loop approaches.
Topic 2: Multi-physics simulation capabilities for multi-domain defence environments. Experiments selected under this topic should explore and demonstrate simulation approaches capable of modelling complex operational environments and interactions across multiple warfare domains.
Topic 3: Distributed AI for autonomous systems (UxVs) with for coordinated swarm operations. Experiments selected under this topic should explore and demonstrate how autonomous systems powered by machine learning and distributed AI can support coordinated multi-UxV operations in complex operational environments.
Across the three topics, proposed experiments should demonstrate a clear technological contribution, a credible implementation approach and the potential to advance the capabilities of the BattleVerse simulation environment. Experiments are expected to achieve at least TRL 5 by the end of the six-month implementation period.
Selected beneficiaries will also have access to targeted coaching and guidance activities provided by the BattleVerse consortium. These activities will support applicants in addressing relevant technical challenges related to the development, integration, testing and validation of their solutions. The selected beneficiaries will remain fully responsible for the implementation and delivery of their experiments.
An online info session for this Call will take place on 6 October 2026 at 10:00 CET.
The call conditions financial support to the third parties call conditions and any complementary information for applicants are available on the project website at the following links: BattleVerse Open Calls and BattleVerse Submission Portal.
Who can apply, in detail
- Applicant types
- SME, Startup, Large company, Research org, University, Other
- Purpose
- Research and innovation
- R&D relevance
- 3 of 3
- Poland eligible
- Yes
- Country limit
- EU Member States, Norway and Ukraine, subject to ownership and control rules.
- Region
- Any
- Consortium
- Optional
- Readiness level (TRL)
- —
- Per project
- €180K
- Topics
- Defence mission planning
- Large language models
- Symbolic reasoning
- Multiphysics simulation
- Distributed AI
- Autonomous swarms
Machine-classified from the call text; check eligibility at the source. 23 Oct 2026
Conditions
Typed facts extracted from the source documents by Scindu's grant-data review. Each value keeps its own conditions. Unknown means unstated, not zero or unlimited.
- Applicant restriction
- The Guide says natural persons are ineligible, while the FAQ says self-employed persons and sole traders may apply when their business lacks separate legal personality; sole-trader eligibility is unresolved.
- Applicant type
- The Guide targets SMEs and start-ups, either as a single applicant or within a small consortium.
- Application restriction
- Official BattleVerse page lists the call closing on 16 November 2026 at 17:00 CET.
- Applications closed
- No
Captured 23 October 2026; the official project page lists a future closing date.
- Consortium allowed
- Yes
Single SME/start-up applications are also allowed.
- Consortium members, maximum
- 3
Up to three beneficiaries/entities per experiment; at least one must be an SME or start-up.
- Eligible geography
- Applicants must be legally established in an EU Member State, Norway or Ukraine; entities must also meet the call’s ownership/control rules.
- Eligible project scope
- The call uses a lump-sum model linked to the successful completion of experiment activities and agreed work-plan milestones.
Lump sum based on the pre-approved work plan and budget; call does not require reimbursement of actual incurred costs.
- Eligible project scope
- TOPIC 1: LLMs for strategic decision-making, symbolic reasoning, game theory, and mission planning under uncertainty
- Eligible project scope
- TOPIC 2: Multi-physics simulation capabilities for surface/submarine warfare, electronic warfare, and continuous combat across land, air, or naval platforms
- Eligible project scope
- TOPIC 3: Distributed AI for autonomous systems (UxVs) with for coordinated swarm operations
- Other condition
- The guide sets 30% initial payment after agreement signature and required administrative formalities; 70% final payment follows successful experiment completion and approval of required deliverables and reports.
- Other condition
- The call aims to fund up to 20 third-party beneficiaries; actual number depends on distribution of the call budget.
- Partner requirement
- Each experiment must include at least one SME or start-up; up to two complementary partners may participate, with non-SME participation justified by expertise unavailable from a suitable SME.
- Project duration, maximum
- 6
Call-stated maximum experiment duration.
Amounts and costs
- Indicative budget
- €1,200,000
Topic budget as stated in the portal's budget table. Lump-sum and per-project limits are in the call conditions.
- Funding per beneficiary, maximum
- €60,000
Lump-sum support ceiling per beneficiary participating in an experiment; not an individual salary or guaranteed award.
- Call allocation
- €1,200,000
Total call pool; not per experiment or beneficiary.
- Eligible cost
- Direct personnel costs required to implement the experiment are eligible; subcontracting/outsourced project activities are not eligible.
Call-specific lump-sum budget rule. Eligible personnel category does not specify job titles, qualifications, contract form, headcount, FTE or pay rate.
- Funding intensity
- 100
Within the call’s lump-sum budget and applicable EDF eligibility; does not mean automatic reimbursement of any actual cost.
- Project funding, maximum
- €180,000
Maximum applies to an experiment with three beneficiaries; amount scales with participating beneficiaries, each capped at €60,000.
Personnel and services
Other role
Staff cost the grant can fund
Eligible cost category within the approved lump-sum work plan and budget; the call does not prescribe a position, qualification, employment contract type, headcount, FTE or salary rate. Not a mandatory hiring requirement.
Source documents
Call facts
- Opens
- 14 Sept 2026
- Deadline model
- Single-stage
- Programme
- European Defence Fund · 2021 - 2027
- Call
- Open Call for Cutting-Edge Defence Solutions
- Types of action
- —
- Source
- ec.europa.eu
- Checked
- 24 Oct 2026
- Portal updated
- 20 Sept 2026
- Review status
- Partial review
- Reviewed
- 23 Oct 2026
This is a summary of the source page, not the official text. Eligibility, conditions and the submission system are at the source.