--- title: "The EIC Opens Defence & Dual-Use Funding: What Founders, Investors and Policymakers Need to Know" description: European Innovation Council launches new funding for defence and dual-use tech, offering significant grants and investments to boost innovation in the sector. image: https://www.winnovart.com/hubfs/EIC%20banners/EIC%20DDU%20-%20landing%20page%20banner.png --- [Skip to content](https://www.winnovart.com/news/eic-x-ddu-defence-dual-use-market-intelligence#main-content) [![](https://www.winnovart.com/hs-fs/hubfs/logo-new1.jpeg?width=286&height=75&name=logo-new1.jpeg)](https://winnovart.com) - [News](https://winnovart.com/news/tag/news) - Client Service Show submenu for Client Service - [Service Options](https://www.winnovart.com) - About us Show submenu for About us - [Who we are](https://www.winnovart.com/about-us/our-thsesis) - [Our Thesis](https://www.winnovart.com/about-us/our-thsesis) - [Our Team](https://www.winnovart.com/about-us/team) - [Careers](https://www.winnovart.com/about-us/careers) - [Winnovart Ventures](https://www.winnovart.com/about-us/introducing-winnovart-ventures) - Funding Highlights Show submenu for Funding Highlights - [EIC Funding](https://www.winnovart.com/news/tag/eic-funding) - [EEA & Norway Grants](https://winnovart.com/news/tag/eeanorway-grants) - [UK Innovation Funding](https://winnovart.com/news/tag/uk-innovation-funding) - [US Innovation Grants](https://winnovart.com/news/tag/us-innovation-grants) - [Blended Finance](https://www.winnovart.com/news/tag/blended-finance) - [Winnovart Surveys](https://winnovart.com/news/tag/surveys) - [Winnovart Explore Newsletter](https://winnovart.com/news/tag/winnovart-explore) - [Contacts](https://www.winnovart.com/contact-us) - [News](https://winnovart.com/news/tag/news) - Client Service Show submenu for Client Service - [Service Options](https://www.winnovart.com) - About us Show submenu for About us - [Who we are](https://www.winnovart.com/about-us/our-thsesis) - [Our Thesis](https://www.winnovart.com/about-us/our-thsesis) - [Our Team](https://www.winnovart.com/about-us/team) - [Careers](https://www.winnovart.com/about-us/careers) - [Winnovart Ventures](https://www.winnovart.com/about-us/introducing-winnovart-ventures) - Funding Highlights Show submenu for Funding Highlights - [EIC Funding](https://www.winnovart.com/news/tag/eic-funding) - [EEA & Norway Grants](https://winnovart.com/news/tag/eeanorway-grants) - [UK Innovation Funding](https://winnovart.com/news/tag/uk-innovation-funding) - [US Innovation Grants](https://winnovart.com/news/tag/us-innovation-grants) - [Blended Finance](https://www.winnovart.com/news/tag/blended-finance) - [Winnovart Surveys](https://winnovart.com/news/tag/surveys) - [Winnovart Explore Newsletter](https://winnovart.com/news/tag/winnovart-explore) - [Contacts](https://www.winnovart.com/contact-us) # The EIC Opens Defence & Dual-Use Funding: What Founders, Investors and Policymakers Need to Know [Ira Dinolan](https://www.winnovart.com/news/author/ira-dinolan) June 27, 2026 The European Innovation Council has opened a new chapter for European defence and dual-use innovation. Following its June 2026 update, startups, SMEs and small mid-caps developing technologies with both civilian and defence applications can now access EIC Accelerator grants of up to €2.5 million, equity investments of up to €10 million, and dedicated STEP Defence Scale Up equity funding of €10–30 million for larger growth rounds.  This shift comes at a critical moment for Europe’s deep-tech ecosystem. Defence and dual-use technologies are being driven by a sovereign procurement super-cycle, growing European strategic autonomy priorities, record VC and growth equity appetite, and increasing M&A activity by defence primes seeking AI, cyber, autonomy, space, sensing and advanced systems capabilities. Recent market signals include mega-rounds for companies such as Helsing, Quantum Systems and Isar Aerospace, alongside strategic acquisitions by groups including Safran, Rheinmetall and KNDS.  At Winnovart, we track fundraising activity, investor appetite, strategic acquisitions, public funding programmes and emerging technology sectors across European deep tech. In this article, we examine what the EIC’s Defence & Dual-Use funding update means for founders, investors and public-sector stakeholders—and why it signals a broader transformation in Europe’s strategic technology landscape.  Read the full article → [https://landing.winnovart.com/eic-x-ddu-defence-dual-use-market-intelligence](https://landing.winnovart.com/eic-x-ddu-defence-dual-use-market-intelligence)       Categories: [2020](https://www.winnovart.com/category/2020/), [EEA&Norway grants](https://www.winnovart.com/category/eeanorway-grants/), [HomePage](https://www.winnovart.com/category/homepage/), [News](https://www.winnovart.com/category/news/), [Winnovart Explainer](https://www.winnovart.com/category/winnovart-explainer/) | Tags: [blue growth croatia](https://www.winnovart.com/tag/blue-growth-croatia/), [business development and innovation croatia](https://www.winnovart.com/tag/business-development-and-innovation-croatia/), [business innovation projects croaitia](https://www.winnovart.com/tag/business-innovation-projects-croaitia/), [eeano croatia](https://www.winnovart.com/tag/eeano-croatia/), [funding for Croatian companies](https://www.winnovart.com/tag/funding-for-croatian-companies/), [green industry innovation croatia](https://www.winnovart.com/tag/green-industry-innovation-croatia/), [innovation croatia](https://www.winnovart.com/tag/innovation-croatia/), [innovation norway croatia](https://www.winnovart.com/tag/innovation-norway-croatia/), [winnovart explainer croatia](https://www.winnovart.com/tag/winnovart-explainer-croatia/) | [Permalink](https://www.winnovart.com/winnovart-explainer-eea-norway-grants-for-business-innovation-projects-in-croatia/) [News](https://www.winnovart.com/news/tag/news), [HomePage](https://www.winnovart.com/news/tag/homepage), [Blended Finance](https://www.winnovart.com/news/tag/blended-finance), [EIC Funding](https://www.winnovart.com/news/tag/eic-funding), [2026](https://www.winnovart.com/news/tag/2026) ![](https://www.winnovart.com/hubfs/EIC%20banners/EIC%20DDU%20-%20landing%20page%20banner.png) [![Facebook](https://www.winnovart.com/hubfs/social-media-icons/facebook-icon.png)](https://www.facebook.com/winnovart/) [![Twitter](https://www.winnovart.com/hubfs/social-media-icons/twitter-icon.png)](https://twitter.com/winnovart) [![LinkedIn](https://www.winnovart.com/hubfs/social-media-icons/linkedin-icon.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/company/winnovart) [Winnovart Surveys](https://www.winnovart.com/news/tag/surveys) [Subscribe to Winnovart's Newsletter](https://share.hsforms.com/16rADODCGRgKIED9KhD-HBA2cxgb) Check your funding readiness [Service options – Winnovart](https://www.winnovart.com/funding-highlights/eeanorway-grants/eeanorway-grants-news/eeanorway-bilateral-dimension/) [Contact us! \>\>](https://www.winnovart.com/contacts/) ### ARCHIVE [News & Updates 2021](https://www.winnovart.com/news/archive/2021) [News & Updates 2020](https://www.winnovart.com/news/archive/2020) [News & Updates 2019](https://www.winnovart.com/news/archive/2019) [News & Updates 2018](https://www.winnovart.com/news/archive/2018) [News & Updates 2017](https://www.winnovart.com/news/archive/2017) [News & Updates 2016](https://www.winnovart.com/news/archive/2016) [Go to Winnovart Surveys for fundraising intelligence](https://www.winnovart.com/news/tag/surveys) Copyright © 2010 - 2026 Winnovart [Disclaimer](https://www.winnovart.com/about-us/disclaimer)  |  [Privacy Policy](https://www.winnovart.com/privacy-policy2018/) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/winnovart/) [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/winnovart) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/winnovart/)