🚨 New Hackathon Formats + Kyiv

Fostering Defense Innovation for European Sovereignty

AuthorAuthor

Janick Bayer & Benjamin Wolba
April 14, 2026

Fresh after Easter, we just ran our Netherlands hackathon — now, we’re gearing up for a whole event series across Europe this spring, including Kyiv Defense Tech Week: a full week focused on building, testing, and deploying defense technologies alongside frontline operators.

We are also launching new hackathon formats with a domain focus: In Karlskrona, teams will work next to a Swedish naval base to develop maritime systems for Baltic Sea security. In Switzerland, the Critical Infrastructure Shield Hackathon explores ways to protect critical infrastructure.

Check out our full event calendar and register for upcoming opportunities at https://luma.com/eurodefensetech

🇺🇦 Kyiv Defense Tech Week, April 27–May 3

This spring, we are organizing Kyiv Defense Tech Week together with Invest in Bravery: one entire week of events, fully dedicated to building, testing, and deploying defense technology in collaboration with frontline operators.

Join us on May 1-3 for our next Kyiv hackathon: Over 250 participants will collaborate for 48 focused hours, with real-world testing opportunities.

We're thrilled to have TAF Industries on board as our key partner, alongside our hackathon partners, Fire Point and TYTAN Technologies, and with strong support from Tulip Tech, STARK, SE3 Labs, NUNC Capital, D3, Occam Industries, Moodro, and our co-organizers, National University «Kyiv Aviation Institute» and the Snake Island Institute.

More Upcoming EDTH Events

🇸🇪 Stockholm, Sweden | April 24-26, 2026

After co-leading the defense track at BuildArena at Techarena, we are returning to Stockholm this April to host our own hackathon.

Now, more than 120 hackers will convene for 48 hours to tackle cutting-edge challenges. The event is Hosted by EY, and joined by Nordic Air Defence, Inflection, DroneAid Collective, TeraSi, and

🇵🇹 Porto, Portugal | April 24-26, 2026

For the very first time, alongside our Stockholm edition, we’re bringing the hackathon to Porto, Portugal, on April 24–26, 2026.

The event is organized in partnership with DroneAid Collective in Porto and will be hosted at 42 Porto, with support from Inflection, Pilotix, and Any Key Studio.

🇸🇪 Karlskrona, Sweden | May 7-10, 2026

The Baltic Sea has long been a strategic flashpoint, from Cold War incidents to the current emphasis on naval readiness.

For the first time, EDTH is partnering with the Marine Technology Center, Inflection, and Nordic Air Defence along Marine Alpha, Saab, and Kraken Technology Group to host a hackathon at a Swedish naval base in Karlskrona, a key location for Baltic Sea security.

Find out more about the specs and register at: https://luma.com/edth-2026-karlskrona

🇨🇭Switzerland | May 8-10, 2026

We’re returning to Switzerland, launching the first Critical Infrastructure Shield Hackathon. Join us to prototype systems to protect critical infra, from counter-drone tech to resilient communications and autonomous defense solutions.

Hosted by Vitus-Areal and kicking off with CDDS as our first partner, this is about moving faster than the threats.

🇨🇿 Prague | May 15-17, 2026

Wer’e coming back to Prague this May — together with U&C as a key partner and an actual field-testing day on Sunday!

🇩🇪 Berlin | May 19: From Prototype to Arsenal

Europe needs drones at scale — fast, affordable, and built locally. This event brings together leaders from automotive, defense, manufacturing, and venture to explore how automotive principles like modular design, platform strategies, and high-volume production can unlock scalable drone manufacturing, while building sovereign supply chains and leveraging dual-use components across motors, batteries, electronics, materials, and optics.

Upcoming Online Events (as part of our EDTH Community)

Get free access to all EDTH Community events for one year, including hackathon demo days, webinars, networking sessions, and our flagship New Defense Summit.

Join our EDTH Community — https://eurodefense.tech/community

Supporting the 411 UAS Hawks

We’re launching “Through Dust to Victory”, a fundraiser with HELP99 and 50 States for Ukraine.

Our friends at the 411 UAS Hawks are on the front lines of modern warfare. They operate day and night, adapting and deploying drone systems in real combat conditions. Among them is Steffen Berr, who left his life in the West to serve as a drone operator defending civilians in Ukraine.

This fundraiser supports Steffen and his unit: Our initial goal is to raise €20,500 to get one NAFO Truck 3.0 to improve their logistics.

Brave1 and NATO Launch UNITE Tech Competition

Brave1 and NATO have started the first competition in the UNITE – Brave NATO program. The goal is to speed up the development of new counter-drone and air defense technologies.

Ukrainian and NATO-based companies must team up to apply, supported by a dedicated matchmaking platform that connects partners and fast-tracks technologies from late-stage development to combat-ready deployment.

With a €10M budget (up to €1M per project), the program targets areas like counter-FPV systems, SIGINT, electronic warfare, and autonomous guidance, with all shortlisted solutions undergoing real-world testing in Ukraine. The winners will be announced in the summer of 2026.

More info and application via: https://unite-brave-nato.brave1.tech/

Defense Tech Monthly — February & March 2026

Snake Island Institute just released its monthly report for March. It shows that the boundary between war and the civilian economy continues to dissolve.

It looks at how private companies, infrastructure, and supply chains are now directly involved in the conflict, from corporate-led air defense to sustained strikes on energy and industrial targets. Both sides are adapting through new satellite systems, improvised communications, and the export of battlefield-tested capabilities.