CDICC PROJECTS

Project name: LEVIATAD – Level 1 Accelerator for Defence Sector

Project ID: 101074868

Funding Programme: SMP

Call: SMP-COSME-2021-CLUSTER

Project Value: 1.350.762,47 EUR

Project web page: under development

Abstract: LEVIATAD Project aims at creating the 1st Eurocluster of Excellence on Naval Defense. This will be obtained following an Action Plan in three steps.

1) Obtain a mapping of the Naval & Aero Naval Defence sector value chain post-COVID-19 crisis to better understand the European ecosystem’s structure as well as the possible transnational synergies and complementarities. This will allow the Consortium to draw the lessons concerning disruption and dependencies and manage a more efficient industrial strategy (including green and digital transition) to engage better resilience and competitiveness in a long-term European strategic approach.

2) Put in place actions to support SMEs in their up-skilling towards strategic technologies innovations that will be the base of their path towards resilience and autonomy boosting European sovereignty in the Defence sector. Support measures will be for example training workshops and vouchers

3) Go international is the third step providing for other supporting measures (e.g. workshops, vouchers, studies of international markets) to help SMEs to acquire skills in some third countries’ markets as well as internationalisation to foster synergies and new business lines towards these non-EU countries.

This will foster action plans to enhance the European position in the value chain and engage resilience activities by supporting innovation processes and helping SMEs join forces and better cooperate with major public and private groups including in European and international markets.

These plans would have a strong focus on resilience and European synergies.

Project Title: EOA (Enhancing Opportunities for All)

Project ID: 101117414-EOA-EDF – 2022 – CSA-NFP

Funding Program: EDF

Type of Action: EDF – CSA

Type of Model Grant Agreement: EDF – AG

Project Value: 1.499,458,73 EUR

Duration in months: 36

Project web page: https://edfnetwork.eu/

Abstract:

Enhancing Opportunities for All is an NFP project with two main target groups. Enhancing skills network and tools for NFPs and supporting possible applicants for EDF projects to engage in consortia. The overall scope of the call is to increase the impact of EDF through a focus on the ability of National Focal Points to act, promote, and facilitate participation in the EDF. The background of the proposal is an effort to help all member States navigate the EDF and to both understand the process and to be able to participate. In order to achieve this goal, the proposal will develop tools, plan matchmaking, networking, and knowledge sharing events, and substantially enhance Communications efforts. Since the proposal is backed by a substantial number of nations, the cross-border nature of all efforts in the proposal will enhance opportunities for all member States. The proposal builds on the needs of member States and the experience from other EU projects, including Horizon 2020, in order to both enhance nations’ ability to support industry and knowledge institutions in their endeavors to participate in EDF. At the same time, the proposal is also focusing directly on potential applicants in order for them to engage actively in EDF projects both as participants but also as leaders of projects. The proposal is divided into five work packages designed to meet the priorities of the call. Capacity building of NFPs, enhancing participation of applicants, networking and cooperation activities, and communication.

Project Action Plan:

Consists of a detailed description of how the project will be carried out and is divided into 2 parts:

1. The first part contains structured tables with project information
2. The second part is a narrative description of the work to be carried out.

Activities include:

1. Training workshop – Module 1
2. Training workshop – Module 2
3. Training workshop – Module 3 (support module)
4. Guiding Manual for EDF – NFP
5. Twinning arrangement
6. Website
7. Partner search platform
8. On-site match-making events
9. Virtual match-making events
10. External Collaboration
11. Outreach strategy & Visual identity
12. Creation of a comprehensive online presence
13. Promotion & dissemination activities
14. Networking facilitation

Successfully executed activities so far:

1. Training workshop European Defence Fund (EDF) – Enhancing opportunities for All (EOA) from 3rd to 7th of February, 2025 in Zagreb, Croatia:

The EOA Zagreb training workshop is the first deliverable by Work Package 2 (Capacity Building of NFPs) under EOA (Enhancing Opportunities for All). The Zagreb training workshop was held from 03rd to 07th February 2025, in Zagreb. The training workshop consisted of the following parts: (i) educational parts MODUL 1 and MODUL 2, and (ii) practical part “twinning arrangement”.

The aims and objectives of the Zagreb training workshop were to raise the knowledge and skills of EDF-NFPs in managing national networks, provide EDF-NFPs with insights into EDF regulative, legislative, and practical knowledge in developing EDF project proposals. The Zagreb training event hosted 19 NFPs and NFP Alternates from 17 EU member states, 13 representatives from small and medium enterprises from the Croatian Defence Industry and Science community, two representatives from the Ministry of Defence Croatia, and one participant from the Slovenian Business & Research Association.

All the workshop details can be found at the link: Workshop 30.6.2025.

2. Online Workshop on IPR „Capacity Building for National Focal Points“, 30^th of June,2025:

The Online workshop participation was confirmed within the online application form by 17 entities in total. The attendance during the online workshop varied during the day, but in total, there were 20 stakeholders who participated in the workshop, including NFPs and alternates from 10 EU member states: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Finland, France, Greece, Netherlands, and Spain.

The aims and objectives of the 1st online workshop were the introduction to the National Focal Points (and their alternates) with an in-depth overview and examples of the Intellectual Property Rights within the EDF program. First out of three online workshops was held on 30th June 2025. Two sets of presentations and. sessions were prepared, and the workshop was held from 9.00 -17.00. Both sessions (morning and afternoon) were well covered with detailed PowerPoint presentations with concrete examples from EDF and other programs involving military and security projects and IPR issues. The participants were asking questions via chat room, and all questions were shared and answered during the workshop. 1. Morning session: introduction to IPR, steps in tracking entities and IP, granting a patent, infringements, and challenges in patenting; 2. Afternoon session: IPR within multiparter and international projects, consortium challenge, IPR for EDF participants, Compliance with EU directives. Future online workshops will engage topics like introduction to other EU programs related to security and defence, as well as R&D programs, networks, news, etc.

All the workshop details can be found at the link: Workshop 03.-07.2.2025.