The Flemish Government is providing an additional leverage of 135 million euros for innovative security and defence projects during this legislative period. This was announced during the event, which emphasized the importance of economic strength for national security. The strategy, named VISD (Flemish Innovation and Industrial Strategy for Security and Defence), aims to connect companies, knowledge institutions, and Defence to translate Flemish technology into concrete applications more rapidly.
The European defence market is experiencing rapid growth due to geopolitical tensions and the need to strengthen the European defence industry, leading to billions in investments for new capabilities and research. Flanders sees significant economic opportunities in this evolution, as many required technologies are developed in sectors such as artificial intelligence, sensor technology, drones, and cybersecurity.
During DIF-Day, there was a direct dialogue between military end-users and companies. Representatives from Defence provided insights into military needs and procurement files, offering companies a unique opportunity to understand future market demands. Ukrainian speakers also shared their experiences with innovation in operational contexts.
The European dimension was also central, with representatives from the European Commission and the European Defence Agency (EDA). European defence spending is expected to rise significantly, creating opportunities for Flemish enterprises in terms of funding and international cooperation.
VISD focuses on translating technological expertise into concrete applications, with priority domains including artificial intelligence and autonomous systems. A second Flemish research and development call for defence has already allocated 10 million euros to innovative projects. With the planned 135 million euros, Flanders aims to build a competitive ecosystem that links innovation, economic growth, and security objectives.
The first edition of DIF-Day, organized by the Department of Work, Economy, Science, Innovation and Social Economy (WEWIS), served as a meeting place for technology developers, companies, researchers, military personnel, and end-users.
