What's up
Deploying dual-use innovation for Europe’s defense
Innovation in defense cannot happen in silos. It requires a place where strategic ambition meets operational reality, where research meets industry, and where talent meets mission. A6K was built to be that place, an open yet sovereign innovation environment anchored in Belgium and connected to major European ecosystems
The defense landscape is undergoing a profound transformation. Dual-use technologies, cyber resilience, advanced manufacturing, AI, secure communications, energy systems, the frontiers of defense innovation are increasingly intertwined with civilian research and industrial acceleration. In this context, the challenge is no longer only to invent, but to structure, test, industrialize and deploy faster, while ensuring strategic autonomy.
We approach defense as a field of concrete collaboration. We connect armed forces, research centers, start-ups, scale-ups, industrial players and public authorities around real operational needs. Through calls for projects, collaborative R&D frameworks, and mission-driven innovation programs, we transform technological potential into deployable capabilities.
In this context, A6K is proud to collaborate with the Belgian Cyber Force on STRIKE IT 2026, Belgium’s first defence call fully dedicated to IoT cybersecurity. With a total envelope of €1.8 million and up to €150,000 per selected project, the programme targets mature TRL7+ cybersecurity solutions capable of immediately strengthening resilience across both civilian and military IoT environments — from smart tools and wearables to vehicles, vessels, sensors and logistics infrastructures.
Up to 12 high-impact projects will be selected by the Belgian Cyber Force and the Royal Higher Institute for Defence. By addressing civilian IoT vulnerabilities that directly affect defence operations, STRIKE IT reinforces national resilience at its core. Start-ups are strongly encouraged to apply and engage with the Cyber Defence Factories [CDF6000 & CDF8000], with concrete pathways toward alignment with the EU Cyber Resilience Act. The deadline for submission is 8 March.
Developing the next generation of products and services for defense is not a theoretical exercise, it is structured through concrete, collaborative projects rooted in real operational needs. Through the Cyber Defense Factory, we host the first official implantation of the Belgian Cyber Force within a civilian environment, creating a unique space where military expertise and civilian innovation meet to co-develop tangible cyber defense solutions, from identified operational challenges to deployable technologies.
Within this framework, companies and start-ups work directly with defense stakeholders to address real cyber challenges. Dual-use cyber technologies are developed and validated inside a trusted ecosystem designed to ensure relevance, security and scalability. Each initiative is structured as a collaborative project, guiding partners step by step, from operational need to deployable solution.
By transforming strategic industry and defense challenges into mission-driven innovation programmes, A6K enables companies, start-ups and public actors to design, test and accelerate new products and services within an ecosystem that is both secure and deeply connected to industry realities.
Building on this momentum, our innovation pillar translates into one clear ambition.
↘︎ Go to deploy.
