Phase II
Phase II is the next step in the DefTech Forge journey, led by the European Defence Agency (EDA), for the top-performing teams from the DefTech Forge events (3 winners per Forge). Each Phase II session brings together 6 companies from two separate DefTech Forge editions to participate in advanced testing and evaluation.
This phase gives winning teams the opportunity to demonstrate their solutions in real-world operational environments, gaining valuable feedback to mature their technology under rigorous conditions.
3 Benefits for companies
Top performers will compete for additional prize funding of up to €1,000,000 and receive direct exposure to European military stakeholders, opening doors to further collaboration and operational adoption.
€1,000,000 Prize
Compete for the top funding rewards for the final two companies.
Real-World Testing
Iterate and validate your solution through live operational experiments.
EU Wide Exposure
Showcase your technology to high-profile European and NATO military personnel.
Selection Process
Stage 1 - Operational Experimentation
The 6 winners from the DefTech Forges participate in a live operational testing exercises. Based on performance and evaluation, the top 4 companies are selected to advance.
Stage 2 - Operational Experimentation
The 4 shortlisted companies undergo an additional round of operational experiments 4–5 months later, after which the top 2 companies are chosen as Phase II leaders.
Incentives
Additional prize funding is awarded to the top 4 in Stage 1 and to the final 2 in Stage 2, recognising outstanding operational performance and solution maturity.