The Cyber Accelerator
An accelerator programme for startups working with cybersecurity. Every team that reaches the accelerator will get the very best consultation available and 60,000 euros to develop their idea.
Dual-use and Defense Technology
The Defence Pre-accelerator
The Defence Business Lab is a pre-accelerator for the defence industry that helps deep-tech startups develop and test their ideas for the defence sector and prepare for international programmes.
The Defence Pre-accelerator offers you
- a thorough training programme with three months of hands-on management and intensive training by experts
- possible grants of 5000 euros to accelerate your development
- personal mentoring with eight hours of expert advice for each team
- access to networks, contacts and resources that can help bring your idea to life in the real world
On completing the pre-accelerator you will have
- developed your technology further to meet the needs of the defence sector
- tested and validated real use-cases for your solution
- learned the logic of sales, regulation and funding in the defence industry
- gained a clearer picture of the interest of investors and the options for financing your project
- practised presenting your product with the support of experts
- become ready to apply for the next phase of development in programmes like NATO DIANA or the EDF
To join the pre-accelerator you need
- an innovative idea for solving a defence or security problem
- a technology readiness level of at least 3
a motivated and skilled team - ambition, an appetite for hard work, and a desire to develop your product further and test it in a real-world environment
- a company registered in Estonia
Timetable of the programme
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Applications open
March
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Applications close
April
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Kick-off seminar of the programme
May
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Training, events and work with mentors
May- October
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The programme ends
October
Business model, product development and validation
Finding and managing a scalable business model, developing a product or service for the defence sector
May
Sales
The purchasing logic, decision-making and sales opportunities in defence
June
Regulations and certification governing defence
The requirements for defence industries, liability processes, and the role of certification in market entry
June
Financing options, investor appetite and project descriptions
Different financing solutions for the defence industry, and persuading investors and preparing project applications within the defence sector
August
Pitch
Pitching and the investor pitch deck
SeptemberThe companies entering the 2026 cohort will be chosen by Enelin Tiiman (Ministry of Defence), Ken Veski (Force Transformation Command of the Estonian Defence Forces), Marily Hendrikson (Milrem Robotics), Tauri Tuubel (Reconeyez, Defendec), Jan Lätt (EstBAN), Jaan Kokk (Archangel), Sigrid Mölder (Sparkup Tartu Science Park), and Vootele Päi (Tehnopol)
The pre-accelerator programme is run by the Tehnopol Startup Incubator and Sparkup, the Tartu Science Park. The programme is funded by the Ministry of Defence.
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NATO DIANA Estonian Accelerator
A programme that helps to accelerate the adoption of dual-use innovation across the Alliance.
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