Defence Tech Start-Ups and Scale-Ups: From Innovation to Deployment in European Defence

Overview

Europe does not lack defence innovation, but scaling promising technologies into deployable, operational capabilities remains a major challenge. Too many solutions stall between pilot projects and procurement, slowing Europe’s readiness at a critical time for security and defence.

On the margins of the Munich Security Conference 2026, DIGITALEUROPE and Capgemini will convene policymakers, investors, and industry leaders to discuss how Europe can accelerate the journey from innovation to deployment, close the scale-up gap, and deliver real operational impact for European defence.

Key questions

• How can Europe move faster from pilots to procurement?

• What are the main barriers faced by defence start-ups and scale-ups?

• How can public and private actors work together to enable speed, scale, and predictability in defence innovation?

Speakers

• Alex Saz-Carranza, Senior Security and Defence Officer, European Investment Bank

• Jonas Singer, CEO, Vector Homes

• Martin Karkour, CRO, Quantum Systems

• Dan Hermansen, CEO, MyDefence Group

Welcome:
Dr. Benjamin Schulte, Strategy Lead Defence Europe, Capgemini

Moderator:
Dr. Constantinos Hadjisavvas, Director for Digital Resilience and Defence, DIGITALEUROPE

DIGITALEUROPE at MSC 2026

DIGITALEUROPE will be present throughout the Munich Security Conference 2026, with Director General Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl attending and engaging with policymakers, industry leaders, and partners on Europe’s security, defence, and digital resilience priorities.