Defence Tech Denmark
Scale your startup or SME within the defence industry
Do you have questions about Defence Tech Denmark?
Thomas Kroman from Danish Technological Institute and Emilie Timm from DTU Science Park both have many years of experience helping companies turn technology into business.
Thomas has extensive experience in innovation, development, and marketing within the robotics and drone industries, while Emilie has a strong background in running startup programs. She has supported more than 100 startups in raising capital and has deep knowledge of what investors are looking for.
Do not hesitate to reach out if you would like to learn more about the program, explore opportunities for your company, or have questions about how we work with dual-use technology in Defence Tech Denmark.
New growth program creates Denmark’s future defence companies
Defence Tech Denmark is a national growth program for startups and SMEs with technologies for – or originating from – the defence industry. The program gives your company access to networks, specialized knowledge, and resources that can help you enter this complex and regulated market.
As a participant, you will follow a tailored process with development sprints, expert guidance, and competence building in regulation, business, and technology. In addition, we can open doors to unique opportunities such as technology demonstrations in collaboration with the Danish Ministry of Defence Acquisition and Logistics Organization (DALO), product testing during military exercises, and the development of regulatory and commercial competencies.
Each year, 10–14 startups and 10–14 SMEs are admitted. The goal is to mature your technology, break down barriers, and create growth in a sector where currently only around 45 core Danish companies are active.
The program is founded by the Danish Industry Foundation, Innovation Fund Denmark, and EIFO, with a total allocation of DKK 200 million to ensure that more Danish companies not only engage in the sector – but also succeed in it. The aim is to strengthen Denmark’s security of supply, create new jobs, and build bridges between technology development and operational needs.
DTU Science Park and Danish Technological Institute run the program together.
As a participant in Defence Tech Denmark, you get:
- Sparring and support to develop, scale, and commercialize your technology for the defence sector – along with support in identifying and accessing relevant markets, both nationally and internationally – all tailored to your company.
- A dedicated mentor team from DTU Science Park’s mentor program and access to technology experts from, among others, Danish Technological Institute, who can advise on product development, testing, documentation, and compliance.
- Hands-on workshops focusing on market access, the structure of the defence industry, certifications, and specific needs in the sector – providing tools you can apply directly in your company.
- Exposure to relevant investors interested in defence tech and dual-use solutions.
- A strong community and a desk at DTU Science Park – plus access to professional testing and laboratory facilities at Danish Technological Institute to support your technological development.
Access to a range of experts
As a participant in Defence Tech Denmark, your company will gain access to specialists in four key areas:
- Regulation and certification – advice on requirements, standards, STANAG numbers, and complex regulations such as offset.
- Defence industry – insights into Danish and international markets, including the USA, Ukraine, and Europe, as well as go-to-market experience from both startups and established companies.
- Product development and testing – technical sparring and access to advanced facilities for optimization, testing, and documentation.
- Funding – guidance on raising capital, investor relations, and international financing opportunities.
Facts about Defence Tech Denmark
is allocated by the Danish Industry Foundation, the Innovation Fund Denmark, and EIFO with the purpose of bringing together capital and competencies, as well as creating a new generation of Danish defense companies.
Selected companies will, over the course of three years, join Defence Tech Denmark – a program at DTU Science Park and Danish Technological Institute with a focus on targeted acceleration and transformation.
mentors are at your disposal, offering sparring tailored to your specific needs – for example in product development, patents, market access and strategy, organizational development, and funding.
specialists at Danish Technological Institute with expertise in, among other areas, energy, materials, and autonomous robots – ready to contribute with specialized knowledge and advice.
How does it work?
When you apply to become part of Defence Tech Denmark, you only need to submit one consolidated application. Together with our partners at DTU Science Park, Danish Technological Institute, and EIFO, we then assess which of the two tracks – acceleration or transformation – is the best fit for you and your company.
If you are selected, we will invite you to a short onboarding program, where you will be introduced to the key tools and opportunities within the program. After that, you continue in the track tailored to you – with sprints, expert sparring, and access to the resources that can help move your company forward.
As participation in Defence Tech Denmark may involve access to information of importance for national security, we may conduct background checks on team members of the qualified candidates and condition their participation on a satisfactory outcome of the background checks.
We ensure that the entire process is coherent from start to finish, so you experience a safe and seamless journey.
The operators behind the program:
DTU Science Park is one of Denmark’s leading environments for deep tech and high-tech innovation. Here, companies gain access to strong networks, professional development environments, and more than ten years of experience in accelerating technology-intensive startups. With a practical and business-oriented approach, DTU Science Park has helped countless companies grow, scale, and navigate complex markets.
Danish Technological Institute is one of Denmark’s leading technology partners, with 1,100 experts who support more than 40,000 companies each year with technology development, testing, validation, documentation, and compliance. The institute collaborates with key stakeholders in the defence industry on projects where advanced technologies are developed and tested under real-life conditions to ensure robust, efficient, and scalable solutions.
Important dates in the program
Is your technology a match?
Are you unsure whether your company is a fit for the program? See which types of technologies Defence Tech Denmark works with.
Cyber and communication
Communication, cyber, and information security technologies, including artificial intelligence and electronic systems with operational relevance.
Resilience and energy
Protection and survivability technologies, as well as energy solutions that enhance resilience in military contexts or in relation to society’s critical infrastructure.
Advanced technology
Advanced technological fields such as materials, quantum technology, or biotechnology, applied in solutions relevant to defense, security, or emergency preparedness.
Preparedness and crisis response
Technological solutions that strengthen preparedness (civil and military) and enable faster, more effective crisis response, treatment, and evacuation in war or disaster areas.
Maritime technologies
Maritime and underwater technology (above and below the sea surface).
Sensor and drone technology
Radar, sensor, robotics, and drone technologies, including air- and space-based surveillance for purposes such as intelligence gathering.
Unmanned systems
Surveillance and unmanned systems for use at sea, on land, and in the air.
Examples of Defence Tech companies
DROPLA TECH
DROPLA TECH has developed a fleet system consisting of drones and robots for the detection of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and mines. A project at Danish Technological Institute has involved advanced data collection, data fusion, and the use of artificial intelligence for analysis. Work has also been carried out on navigation in GPS-denied zones, as well as the classification and mapping of detected objects. The system’s accuracy has been tested and validated as part of a previous development process.
Blinktroll
BLINKTROLL has developed an automatic, mobile target system aimed at the military, police, and security sectors. The company has previously participated in a program at Danish Technological Institute. The development work included product design and material selection, production scale-up, certification of the solution, as well as testing and validation of the system’s functionality.
AleSac
AleSac participated in an acceleration program at DTU Science Park with their innovative foam dressing, which seals wounds, prevents infection, and promotes healing. The program highlighted the product’s potential within the defense sector – particularly in the treatment of wounded soldiers, from the frontline to the field hospital. At the same time, the program provided access to a strong network and new connections that have strengthened the company’s direction and market perspective.
FAQ about Defence Tech Denmark
Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions about the program. If you do not find what you are looking for, you are always welcome to contact us.
You apply through the application form and the accompanying PowerPoint template on the Defence Tech Denmark website, and submit your application here. The application round closes on October 5, 2025.
Please note: An application for Innofounder or Innobooster is not automatically an application for Defence Tech Denmark. To be considered, you must actively agree in the application process to be assessed for Defence Tech Denmark, and you are also required to submit a separate application via the form here.
A sprint is an intensive, structured development process lasting 2–6 months. It is tailored to the needs of each company and may include activities such as:
- Product maturation and technology assessment
- Business development and go-to-market strategy
- Advice on compliance, export, and standards
- Identification of relevant partners and markets
- Development of a financing strategy
Everyone interested in becoming part of Defence Tech Denmark must apply through the Defence Tech Denmark website.
All applications are placed in the same pool. Based on these, representatives from DTU Science Park, Danish Technological Institute, and EIFO assess which companies proceed in the selection process, and which of the two tracks – acceleration or transformation – is the right match.
No, when you apply to become part of Defence Tech Denmark, you only need to submit one consolidated application. Together with our partners at DTU Science Park, the Danish Technological Institute, and EIFO, we then assess which of the two tracks – acceleration or transformation – is the best fit for you and your company.
If you are selected, we will invite you to a short onboarding program, where you will be introduced to the key tools and opportunities within the program. After that, you continue in the track tailored to you – with sprints, expert sparring, and access to the resources that can move your company forward.
We ensure that the entire process is coherent from start to finish, so you experience a safe and seamless journey.
Before the program starts on January 15, 2026, your company must be established and have a Danish CVR number. If you do not have a Danish CVR number when applying, enter 00 00 00 00 in the CVR number field of the application form, and describe in your application when and how you will obtain a Danish CVR number before the program start.
The team must consist of at least two full-time founders.
EIFO and the Innovation Fund Denmark are partners in Defence Tech Denmark, with the purpose, among other things, of investing in defense and dual-use companies.
As part of Defence Tech Denmark, you will be directly exposed to EIFO and will have the opportunity to receive guidance regarding the Innovation Fund’s application processes for Defence Innofounder and Defence Innobooster. In addition, you will receive advice on funding strategy, pitching, and pitch deck preparation.
You will also have the opportunity to participate in pitch events and networking events that can provide access to investors and investor networks in the defense industry.
As participation in Defence Tech Denmark may involve access to information of importance for national security, we may conduct background checks on team members of the qualified candidates and condition their participation on a satisfactory outcome of the background checks.
You cannot be part of both the acceleration track and the transformation track within the same program period, but you may participate in the acceleration track in one program period and join the transformation track in another.
It costs nothing but time and resources to participate in Defence Tech Denmark.
Your company is expected to spend 1–2 days per week throughout the program. Some periods will be more intensive than others.
There will be mandatory activities requiring physical participation along the way.
No, you don’t. In the program, we help you connect with partners such as FMI and NFC.
The foundations behind
Defence Tech Denmark is the result of a historic collaboration between three strong partners who have joined forces to strengthen Denmark’s technological position within defense and security. With a total backing of DKK 200 million from the Danish Industry Foundation, the Innovation Fund Denmark, and EIFO, the ambition is to create the right conditions for Danish companies to develop, mature, and scale technologies relevant to both national and international defense and emergency needs.
The Danish Industry Foundation
The Danish Industry Foundation works to strengthen the competitiveness of Danish businesses through strategic initiatives and long-term partnerships. The foundation has a particular interest in promoting new business areas where technological strengths can be transformed into growth and jobs. With the Defence Tech Denmark initiative, the Danish Industry Foundation aims to expand and strengthen the Danish defense industry, enabling more small and medium-sized enterprises to take advantage of the many opportunities in this field.
Innovation Fund Denmark
Innovation Fund Denmark accelerates Danish research and innovation into solutions that strengthen the competitiveness and sustainability of Danish society. This is achieved through investments in knowledge-based partnerships, innovation projects, and entrepreneurial ideas that create value and jobs while addressing societal challenges. With Defence Tech Denmark, Innovation Fund Denmark aims to accelerate the development and commercialization of defense technology solutions that can strengthen both Denmark’s competitiveness and resilience.
EIFO
The Export and Investment Fund of Denmark (EIFO) is the single point of access for Danish companies to state-backed, risk-tolerant financing. We create value by acting as a driving force and catalyst for the renewal and growth of Danish businesses, opening doors to global markets, and leading the transition to a greener and more sustainable future.
Emilie Timm
Program Manager
Thomas Kroman
SMV Specialist
