Europe's Tactical Innovation Surge: EUDIS Hackathon Spring Edition Finalists Announced

The Spring 2025 edition of the EU Defence Innovation Scheme (EUDIS) Hackathon concluded with the announcement of eight winning teams and three overall finalists whose battlefield-ready technologies could soon bolster both Ukrainian and European defence capabilities. Held simultaneously across eight EU countries—Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, Denmark, Czechia, Spain, and Italy—from 9 to 11 May 2025, the event gathered 478 participants who developed 119 defence-focused prototypes in just three days. For the first time, Ukrainian innovators joined their European counterparts, marking a new phase of operational and technological cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union. The hackathon, titled “Rapid Defence Solutions for the Ukrainian Battlefield and Beyond,” focused on delivering deployable solutions for real-time battlefield conditions, particularly in response to the challenges posed by Russia’s ongoing aggression.

Keynote speakers included EU Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius, Estonia’s Minister of Defence Hanno Pevkur, and retired Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Volodymyr Havrylov, alongside startup leaders and defence technologists. Local organisers provided prize packages including cash awards, mentoring, and in some cases, the opportunity to test solutions in Ukraine. Following the hackathon weekend, winning teams from each country underwent a two-month mentorship programme, consisting of four intensive workshops and over 35 hours of expert guidance. On 9 July 2025, at the final EU-wide pitching event, a jury of experts from the European Commission’s DG DEFIS, defence investors, and innovation specialists selected the top three teams based on progress, relevance, teamwork, and innovativeness.

The winners were 18°C Thermal (Poland), which developed camouflage to defeat thermal imaging on the battlefield; Harlequin Defence (Lithuania), with a modular autonomous system to intercept hostile FPV drones; and AEREUS (Germany), whose real-time 3D drone-based mapping system provides situational awareness to tactical units. The five additional finalists also demonstrated significant innovation and battlefield relevance.