How to Use EDF Info Days Strategically
Updated: 1 day ago
EDF Info Days are one of the few moments when a large part of the European defence R&D community is looking at the same Work Programme at the same time.
The 2026 edition brought together more than 5,200 participants, including defence companies, SMEs, start-ups, research organisations and investors.
Day 1 focused on programme rules, calls, evaluation and financial aspects.
Day 2 focused on networking, thematic pitches and consortium formation.
For companies, the value depends heavily on preparation.
Attending the event can generate information.
Using it strategically can generate consortium opportunities.
Overview
What EDF Info Days Are For
EDF Info Days combine two functions.
The first is information.
Commission staff explain:
the annual Work Programme;
call topics;
submission;
evaluation;
financial rules;
recent programme changes.
The second is consortium building.
Companies and research organisations use the event to:
present capabilities;
find partners;
meet coordinators;
identify project concepts;
build relationships around upcoming calls.
The 2026 Info Days took place on 10–11 March in Brussels and online.
More than 1,200 participants attended physically, while thousands more joined online.
The European Commission described the event as a platform for the defence R&D community to network, pitch ideas and develop future project proposals.
Start With the Work Programme
Do not begin with the participant list.
Begin with the Work Programme.
Read the topics relevant to your company and extract:
scope;
expected outcomes;
eligible activities;
budget;
maturity expectations;
specific conditions.
Then ask:
Where can our company contribute?
Which subsystem or activity do we fit?
What type of consortium would this topic require?
Which partners would we need around us?
Without this preparation, networking becomes random.
A short conversation about a specific topic is far more useful than a general introduction.
Select Your Topics
Prioritise a small number of realistic topics.
For most SMEs, one to three topics is enough for focused networking.
Create a simple topic sheet for each:
Topic | The exact EDF topic or call. |
Capability Objective | What capability the topic is trying to develop. |
Our Possible Role | Where your company can contribute. |
Relevant Technology | The technology or subsystem you bring. |
TRL | Current technology readiness. |
Partners We Need | The organisations or capabilities missing around you. |
Countries or Industrial Ecosystems to Target | The national ecosystems most relevant to the topic. |
Open Questions | Issues that still need to be clarified. |
This gives everyone from your company the same message during the event.
It also helps filter meetings.
A company with a clear topic fit is easier for coordinators to remember.
Build a Target Partner List
EDF Info Days can contain thousands of participants.
Trying to meet everyone produces very little value.
Build a target list before the event.
Useful categories include:
Potential Coordinators | Organisations with strong system-level capability and previous EDF experience. |
System Integrators | Companies that could integrate your technology. |
Complementary SMEs | Partners with technology you need around your own contribution. |
Research Organisations | Potential partners for research, modelling, testing or validation. |
Testing Organisations | Facilities relevant to the planned work. |
National Actors | Organisations from countries important for the topic or capability. |
Priority | A - Must meet B - Useful C - Explore if time allows |
This protects the limited time available during the event.
Prepare Your Company Profile
Your networking material should answer the questions a consortium builder actually has.
Keep it short.
Include:
company;
country;
technology;
TRL;
relevant defence use case;
existing validation;
production or testing capability;
target EDF topics;
proposed project role;
contact details.
Avoid turning the profile into a full corporate presentation.
During consortium building, the useful question is:
Where can this company fit?
Your material should make that answer easy.
A one-page document often works better than a twenty-slide deck.
Use Thematic Pitching Sessions
The 2026 Info Days included thematic pitch sessions specifically designed to support consortium formation.
These sessions matter because everyone in the room already has some interest in the same topic.
A good pitch should therefore focus on consortium relevance.
A simple structure is:
Who We Are | One sentence. |
What Capability We Provide | One clear technical contribution. |
Evidence | TRL, tests, existing use, previous programmes or production capability. |
Target Topic | Name the EDF topic. |
Role We Are Looking For | State what you want to do inside the consortium. |
What We Need | Coordinator, integration partner, testing partner, national partner or another specific requirement. |
This is much stronger than a generic company introduction.
Use the Networking Platform
The physical event is only part of the opportunity.
For 2026, the Commission kept the EDF Info Days online networking community open after the event, with registration available through the EDF platform and access continuing until December 2026.
That creates a longer consortium-building window.
The platform can be used to:
search participant profiles;
identify organisations by technology;
review pitches;
send meeting requests;
follow up with people missed in Brussels;
continue discussions as consortia evolve.
Talk to National Focal Points
National Focal Points - NFPs - support EDF applicants in participating countries.
Their role includes:
explaining programme rules;
sharing information about calls;
organising national Info Days;
supporting partnership building;
directing organisations towards relevant services.
In 2026, NFPs organised national EDF Info Days across Europe following the central event.
These national events can sometimes be more useful for targeted consortium building than the large Brussels event.
They provide a way to understand:
national priorities;
local industrial actors;
companies looking for international partners;
country-specific participation questions.
What to Ask Potential Partners
A first meeting does not need to solve the entire proposal.
It should determine whether a second conversation makes sense.
Useful questions include:
Are you already building a consortium for this topic? | Which part of the system are you leading? |
Which capabilities are already covered? | Which roles are still open? |
What TRL do you expect from partners? | Are you looking for testing or operational validation? |
Which countries are already represented? | When do you expect to freeze the consortium structure? |
Who should we speak with next? |
These questions reveal the maturity of the consortium quickly.
They also help you avoid spending weeks following opportunities that have no realistic role available.
Follow-Up After the Event
The days after Info Days are often more important than the event itself.
Within 24–48 hours, send a short follow-up.
Include:
where you met;
the topic discussed;
your proposed contribution;
the relevant company profile;
one concrete next step.
For example:
technical call;
exchange of non-confidential material;
introduction to the Work Package lead;
discussion with the coordinator.
Track all conversations.
A basic table can include:
organisation;
contact;
topic;
role;
status;
next action;
deadline.
This turns networking into a pipeline.
Without follow-up, even a good meeting disappears quickly.
Common Mistakes
Attending Without Selecting Topics | The company meets many people but has no clear reason to continue the conversation. |
Pitching the Whole Company | A broad company story gives the partner too much work to determine where you fit. |
Looking Only for Coordinators | Technical partners and recurring consortium members can also provide entry routes. |
Asking for “Any Opportunity” | This signals weak preparation. |
Waiting Until the Event to Start Consortium Building | Many consortia already exist before Info Days. Use the event to accelerate relationships already being mapped. |
Collecting Contacts Without Qualification | Twenty relevant contacts are more valuable than two hundred random connections. |
No Follow-Up System | Networking creates value only when it produces a next action. |
Practical Action Plan
Four Weeks Before | |
Two Weeks Before |
|
During the Event |
|
Within 48 Hours |
|
Following Months |
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Track how consortium structures develop.
Confirm whether your role is moving from informal interest into:
tasks;
Work Packages;
deliverables;
budget;
person-months.
That is the point where networking becomes consortium positioning.
EDF Info Days provide access to a concentrated network.
The practical value comes from entering that network with a defined topic, a credible role and a clear follow-up process.
