New AGILE funding instrument: European Commission presents a €115 million program for rapid defense innovation

The European Commission has unveiled AGILE (Accelerating Groundbreaking Innovation for Defense in Europe), a new funding instrument designed to significantly accelerate the development and market introduction of innovative defense technologies in the European Union with a budget of €115 million starting in 2027. The focus is particularly on SMEs, startups, and scale-ups, which are the key drivers of technological innovation in the European defense ecosystem.

Rapid Innovation for Europe’s Defense Capabilities

With AGILE, the EU is responding to the changing demands of modern conflicts. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has shown that short innovation cycles and rapid technological adaptability are crucial for defense capabilities.

The new program aims to bring groundbreaking technologies from the lab to operational use in record time—particularly in areas such as:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Quantum technologies
• Drone technology
• Digital defense systems

A key feature of AGILE is the planned funding approval within just four months. The developed technologies are expected to be operational with European armed forces within one to three years.

Flexible funding for startups and SMEs

The AGILE program deliberately focuses on agility and speed in funding:

• Support for 20 to 30 projects
• Funding of up to 100% of eligible costs
• Retroactive funding for expenses incurred up to three months prior to the application deadline
• Funding for individual companies (consortia are not mandatory)

This structure is designed in particular to enable innovative companies to respond more quickly to security policy requirements and to scale their technologies rapidly.

Mission-oriented development and market introduction

The AGILE work program comprises two key funding areas:

1. Mission-oriented development of disruptive defense technologies
2. Support for market introduction to rapidly translate innovations into operational systems

The program is closely aligned with the needs of EU member states to ensure that new technologies directly contribute to strengthening European defense readiness.

Positioning within the EU Defense Strategy

AGILE complements existing European Union initiatives in the field of defense innovation, including:

• the European Defense Fund (EDF)
• the EU Defense Innovation Scheme (EUDIS)
• the Hub for EU Defense Innovation (HEDI) of the European Defense Agency

These programs already form a strong foundation for cross-border defense research and development in Europe. With AGILE, the EU is now specifically focusing on faster, more flexible funding mechanisms to further shorten innovation cycles.

The initiative also aligns with strategic EU documents such as:

• White Paper on the Future of European Defense – Readiness 2030
• Preserving Peace – Readiness Roadmap 2030
• Roadmap for the Transformation of the EU Defense Industry

Next Steps and Timeline

The European Commission will submit a proposal to the European Parliament and the Council to establish AGILE under the ordinary legislative procedure.

The program is currently scheduled to launch in early 2027.

Contact & Further Information

We are happy to provide further information on EU funding programs in the fields of security, defense, and innovation, as well as on current calls for proposals and opportunities for participation.

Dr. Alexander Christian Widmann
Team Coordinator and Scientific Officer Social Sciences and Humanities | Security and Defence Research 
Phone: +49 89 9901888-162
Email: widmann@no-spam-pleasebayfor.org