The European Commission’s new initiative, called AGILE, Accelerating Groundbreaking Innovation for Defence in Europe, targets small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups and scale-ups working on AI, drones, robotics, quantum technology and cybersecurity. Unlike existing funds, it does not require companies to form consortia to apply.
The Commission describes the gap between a working prototype and a deployed capability as the "innovation valley of death." AGILE is designed to close it, offering up to 100% cost coverage and a retroactive clause allowing firms to claim costs incurred up to three months before a call closes.
