Over 400 participants at the first Flemish Defence Innovation Day
On Tuesday 27 October, 400 companies, research institutions, defence experts and policymakers gathered in Mechelen for the first Defence Innovation in Flanders Day (DIF-Day). This event helps Flemish companies to capitalise on the rapidly growing European defence market. To this end, Flanders is providing an additional €135 million in funding for innovative security and defence projects during this parliamentary term.
“We don’t build strategic autonomy on paper,” says Flemish Minister-President Matthias Diependaele. “We build it in laboratories. In businesses. In factories. At universities. On the ground. Our economic strength is not only the source of our prosperity; it is also a cornerstone of our security. Through VISD, we are bringing together our businesses, knowledge institutions and the Ministry of Defence to translate Flemish technology into concrete applications more quickly. In this way, we are simultaneously strengthening our security, our industrial clout and our prosperity.”
Europe is rapidly increasing its defence spending. The war in Ukraine, rising geopolitical tensions and the need to strengthen the European defence industry are driving an unprecedented wave of investment. In the coming years, billions of euros will be allocated at both national and European level to new capabilities, research and industrial production.
For Flanders, this development presents significant economic opportunities. Much of the technology required today for defence applications is being developed by companies and research institutions traditionally active in sectors such as artificial intelligence, sensor technology, drones, space, cyber security, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing technology.
To make better use of these opportunities, the Flemish Government launched VISD earlier this year – the Flemish Innovation and Industry Strategy for Security and Defence. Through this strategy, Flanders aims to strengthen its technological and industrial position and ensure that Flemish players are better aligned with national, European and NATO programmes.
Ministry of Defence sets out its technological requirements
A notable feature of DIF-Day was the direct dialogue between military end-users and the companies. Representatives from, amongst others, the Ministry of Defence’s procurement departments and special forces provided insights into military requirements and procurement dossiers. In doing so, they outlined which capabilities and technologies will be needed in the coming years. For many companies, this presented a unique opportunity to gain direct insight into the needs of potential end-users and to better understand where future market demands will lie.
In addition, several Ukrainian speakers also took part in the programme. They shared their experiences of innovation in an operational context and provided insight into the role that new technologies play on the battlefield today.
Flanders is positioning itself for unprecedented growth in the European defence market
The European dimension was also a key focus of the event. Representatives from the European Commission, the European Defence Agency (EDA) and various European defence companies explained how the European defence market is evolving and what opportunities this presents for Flemish companies.
That market is growing rapidly. In the proposal for the next European multiannual budget, the European defence budget is set to rise from around 25 billion euros today to 131 billion euros after 2028. Although this is still under negotiation, it illustrates the scale of the investments Europe is planning to make in security, defence and strategic technologies in the coming years. Participants were therefore provided with information on access to major European defence companies, European funding instruments, international cooperation programmes and the growing demand for innovative technologies within European defence projects.
From research to industrial applications: Flanders provides a boost with a €135 million investment
VISD focuses explicitly on translating technological expertise into concrete applications. In recent months, Flanders has been working with companies, research institutions and the Ministry of Defence on priority technological areas such as artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. These form the basis for new projects, demonstrators and partnerships.
In addition, a second Flemish research and development call for defence projects was launched. Through this call, 10 million euros in funding has already been awarded this year to innovative security projects, whilst additional proposals are still under evaluation. With the planned investment of 135 million euros, Flanders aims to continue building a competitive ecosystem over the coming years that links innovation, economic growth and security objectives.
With the first edition of DIF-Day, Flanders also aims to make this ambition a visible showcase: a meeting place where technology developers, companies, researchers, investors, military personnel and end-users can come together to discuss the security and defence applications of tomorrow.
The event was organised by the Department of Labour, Economy, Science, Innovation and Social Economy (WEWIS) as part of the Flemish Innovation and Industry Strategy for Security and Defence (VISD).