Non-thematic research actions by SMEs and research organisations
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See in 5 min if you're eligible for Non-thematic research actions by SMEs and research organisations offering max €34.0M funding💰 Funding Details
Funding Description
What the Grant Supports
* Research actions by SMEs and Research Organisations (ROs) that create, underpin or improve knowledge, products and technologies for defence.
* Interoperability & resilience activities (incl. data-exchange, critical technology mastering, supply-chain security, exploitation planning).
* Studies (e.g. feasibility, market, socio-economic, dual-use) – provided they are embedded in a wider work-plan.
* Design activities for defence products/technologies, including partial risk-reduction tests in industrial or representative environments.
> ⚠️ NOT funded: System prototyping, testing, qualification, certification, or life-cycle efficiency activities. Proposals consisting of *studies only* are ineligible.
Key Funding Parameters
* Call ID: EDF-2025-LS-RA-SMERO-NT
* Total EU contribution per project: up to €34 million lump sum.
* Reimbursement rate: 100 % of the lump-sum amount agreed at Grant Agreement signature (no cost reporting during implementation).
* Type of Action / Model Grant Agreement: EDF-AG-LS (Lump Sum).
* Timeline:
* Call opens: 18 Feb 2025
* Deadline: 16 Oct 2025 – 17:00 CEST
* Single-stage submission & evaluation.
Eligibility Snapshot
1. Consortium composition (Art. 11 EDF Regulation)
* Minimum 3 independent entities from ≥3 EU Member States or EDF-associated countries.
* No single entity nor a single MS may control more than 70 % of the total eligible costs.
* Project *must* involve at least one SME (can be coordinator or beneficiary).
2. Ownership & security
* Beneficiaries and their subcontractors must be established in eligible countries and not be subject to control by non-associated third countries that could compromise EU security interests (unless duly justified and authorised).
3. Rights to Results
* Applicants must hold (or secure) all necessary IPR/licences to further develop and commercialise any civil-origin results they intend to spin-in.
4. Maximum project duration: typically 24–48 months (longer possible if justified).
Budget Structure (Lump Sum Logic)
* Detailed cost breakdown is provided *only* at proposal stage for lump-sum calculation.
* Payments are triggered by completion of work packages (WPs) linked to milestones & deliverables agreed ex-ante.
* No financial reporting – technical progress evidence is enough.
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📊 At a Glance
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🇪🇺 Strategic Advantages
EU-Wide Advantages & Opportunities under EDF-2025-LS-RA-SMERO-NT
1. Strategic Alignment with Collective Defence Ambitions
• Supports the EU Strategic Compass (2022-2030): Accelerates technological edge and strategic autonomy in line with headline goal of increasing joint R&D expenditure to €2 bn/yr.
• Complements NATO interoperability targets: Early-stage research funded here feeds later prototyping eligible under PESCO/NATO DIANA, ensuring seamless capability maturation.
2. Risk-Mitigated, High-Leverage Financing
• Lump-sum model → reduced cash-flow pressure: SMEs receive pre-defined payments on milestones, avoiding reimbursement bureaucracy and easing bankability.
• 75–100 % grant intensity for research activities: De-risks exploratory work that individual Member States would rarely finance alone, enabling bolder, disruptive ideas.
• Stackability with national co-funding & EIB defence loan window: Creates blended finance packages large enough to scale pan-European innovations.
3. Pan-European Market & Supply-Chain Access
• Automatic visibility in the EDIDP/EDF project portfolio: Opens doors to Tier-1 primes in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, etc., who monitor EDF outputs for future integration.
• Eligibility of Associated Countries (e.g. Norway): Expands supplier base beyond EU-27, improving resilience against single-country bottlenecks.
• Supports EU-wide Defence Supply Chain Resilience Act (upcoming): Projects can pre-qualify as trusted suppliers under the revised security-of-supply rules.
4. Cross-Border Knowledge & Talent Integration
• Access to Europe’s 450+ defence-related research organisations: Consortia can tap specialised labs (Fraunhofer, ONERA, FOI, CIDA) without export-control hurdles inside EU.
• Mobility of researchers via MSCA & ERASMUS+ add-ons: Grant holders can second staff, accelerating skill transfer and building a truly European defence innovation community.
5. Dual-Use & Spin-In Acceleration
• Explicit permission to adapt civil EU-funded results (Horizon Europe, CEF, Digital Europe): Cuts TRL timelines by 2–3 years and utilises existing IP.
• Creates new commercial pathways: SMEs can sell civilian derivatives across the Single Market while maintaining defence variant under export-controlled regimes.
6. Standardisation & Interoperability Edge
• Early engagement with EDA CapTechs & ASD standard bodies: Ensures future products meet STANAG/eDIN specs from day one, lowering later certification costs by up to 40 %.
• Harmonised cyber-security & data-sharing frameworks (EU-Sec, Gaia-X): Facilitates secure cross-border operations and federated mission clouds.
7. Regulatory & IP Advantages
• Single EU Grant Agreement (EDF-AG-LS): One set of rules on IP ownership & exploitation replaces 27 different national regimes.
• Freedom-to-operate inside EU customs union: No intra-EU transfer licences for most project artefacts, accelerating prototyping hand-offs.
8. Sustainability & Energy Resilience Benefits
• Alignment with EU Green Deal & Net-Zero logistics goals: Energy-efficient base infrastructure or alternative fuels R&D can draw parallel funding (e.g. Innovation Fund).
• Improves military operational energy independence across Member States, reducing reliance on external suppliers.
9. Time-to-Market & Commercialisation Catalysts
• Early adopter network via EDA’s Hub for EU Defence Innovation (HEDI): Pilot results can be showcased to procurement agencies in 6-month cycles.
• Fast-track to later EDF Development calls (TRL 5-7): Successful research consortia gain priority scoring (+0.5 pts) when re-applying.
10. Socio-Economic Impact at European Scale
• SME job creation in high-tech regions: Estimated 12–15 new skilled jobs per €1 m grant across at least three Member States.
• Balanced growth: Mandatory cross-border consortia ensure participation of EU-13 countries, fostering cohesion and reducing capability gaps.
In summary, EDF-2025-LS-RA-SMERO-NT offers a uniquely European framework that combines generous, low-bureaucracy funding with direct access to continental markets, supply chains, talent and regulatory harmonisation—creating competitive advantages impossible to replicate through purely national programmes.
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Ready to Apply?
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