In European terminology, dual use refers to goods, software and technologies that can serve both civilian and military purposes and, in some cases, security applications. The category therefore extends beyond traditionally “sensitive” hardware: it encompasses components, sensors, communications systems, robotic platforms, software, technical know-how and, in certain cases, assistance or knowledge transfer.
The central issue, however, is the context of use rather than the technology itself. A technology that improves an industrial process, makes a logistics supply chain more efficient or enables new digital services can, in a different setting, enhance surveillance, intelligence, critical infrastructure resilience or operational capabilities. Dual use therefore describes an intermediate space where innovation, security and responsibility in technology design increasingly intersect.
In recent years, the European Union has acknowledged this shift by strengthening its regulatory framework. Regulation (EU) 2021/821 updated the export control regime to cover physical goods alongside technology transfers, technical assistance and certain sensitive end uses. This brings dual use beyond customs compliance and into the design process: innovators today must ask both “What value am I creating?” and “In what contexts could this technology be used, by whom, and with what implications?”
A particularly significant development concerns the cyber domain. In recent years, the European Commission has clarified that certain cyber-surveillance tools, despite having legitimate uses, may be subject to controls where there is a risk of their use for internal repression or serious human rights violations. This extends beyond industrial and manufacturing technologies to software, monitoring systems, data analytics and advanced digital capabilities.
There is also a subtler dimension: cognitive warfare, a concept developed primarily within NATO circles to describe the coordinated use of information, disinformation and digital tools to influence how individuals and groups perceive reality and make decisions. Here, the targets extend beyond systems and networks to public opinion, collective trust and judgement. Influence operations in recent conflicts clearly illustrate this mechanism: false or manipulated content can increase polarisation and confusion even outside open conflict.
Dual use refers to goods, software and technologies that can serve both civilian and military purposes and, in some cases, security applications.
For an early-stage startup, entering the defence market directly is challenging. Procurement timelines are long, compliance requirements are demanding and sales cycles are complex. The credibility institutional customers expect is often difficult for a young team to establish. In most cases, the natural entry point is therefore an adjacent civilian or industrial market, rather than the military end customer.
This is where dual use becomes compelling as a growth trajectory. A startup can develop a solution for logistics, energy, monitoring, mobility, cybersecurity or critical infrastructure, validate it in less regulated environments, establish processes and gather operational evidence. It can then transfer those capabilities to defence or security applications, either directly or through prime contractors and integrators. From this perspective, dual use shifts the sequence of market entry: first, demonstrate reliability, robustness and execution capability; then, build a credible proposition for a far more demanding institutional market.
For corporates and investors, this changes how deal flow is assessed. The task extends beyond identifying “defence startups” to recognising technologies originating in civilian markets with much broader application potential, including security, resilience and the protection of strategic assets. This shift in perspective has implications for European innovation as a whole.
The war in Ukraine has starkly demonstrated how quickly a technology’s role can change when deployed in an extreme operational environment. Drones, autonomous systems, sensors, communications tools and digital capabilities have become part of a continuous adaptation cycle, in which iteration speed, cost, component availability and field feedback matter as much as—and sometimes more than—traditional architectures. International analyses have shown how the conflict has accelerated the adoption of unmanned systems and the integration of commercial technologies into operational applications, shortening the time between experimentation, modification and deployment.
For those tracking innovation, the lesson is clear: advantage comes from the ability to adapt technology quickly to real needs, as well as from inventing it. This is one reason dual use should be understood as part of the infrastructure of contemporary innovation. In sectors that require speed, modularity and resilience, the boundary between civilian and security applications is becoming increasingly permeable.
Poland is also drawing practical lessons from this context. Alongside increasing military spending—which reached 4.3% of GDP in 2025, the highest level in NATO—the country is working to strengthen its industrial capabilities and close the gap between innovation and operational needs. Alongside major state-owned groups, private players are emerging with drones, communications systems and solutions already close to real-world deployment. Meanwhile, new testing, acceleration and experimentation initiatives are opening the ecosystem to dual-use technologies and enabling faster collaboration between research, industry and end users. Poland is becoming a compelling example of how strategic priorities, manufacturing capacity and applied innovation can be integrated.
The task extends beyond identifying “defence startups” to recognising technologies originating in civilian markets with much broader application potential.
Discussions of dual-use innovation tend to focus on technology. In practice, processes often make the difference. A promising solution gains access to complex markets by being tested, adapted, validated and integrated within timelines that match real operational needs. This is where relationships with end users become decisive.
In the most dynamic environments, the value of proofs of concept (PoCs) lies in both technical validation and the quality of the feedback they generate. Those using a technology in the field—operators, technicians, systems integrators or domain specialists—become active participants in its development. This brings designers and users closer together and accelerates the transition from prototype to a solution ready for adoption. Recent analyses of the Ukrainian theatre of operations emphasise this point: continuous feedback loops, faster integration and more modular qualification processes are becoming structural factors in technological competition.
For startups and investors, the lesson is practical. A strong technology needs a credible thesis for how it will be tested, with whom, in which operational environment, against what reliability requirements and through which adoption pathway. In other words, go-to-market matters as much as the product.
The European Union is pursuing two complementary approaches: tightening oversight of sensitive and dual-use technologies while developing industrial and financial instruments to broaden access to defence innovation. The European Defence Fund (EDF), which supports collaborative research and development, is part of this second approach. Alongside it sits the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP), a €1.5 billion initiative for 2026–2027 designed to strengthen and modernise Europe’s industrial base, expand production capacity and support technological resilience and security of supply.
Within this framework, EUDIS extends the European Defence Fund’s reach to new entrants: startups, scaleups, SMEs and other innovators developing defence technologies or civilian technologies with potential military applications. More than a funding channel, it provides a platform for market access, acceleration and ecosystem connections. According to the European Commission, EUDIS aims to mobilise close to €2 billion by 2027, combining EDF resources with public and private funding. In 2026, this is already taking shape through concrete initiatives, including an eight-month Business Accelerator for 40 startups and scaleups across two cohorts, featuring five bootcamps, coaching, testing opportunities and €120,000 vouchers per company, alongside hackathons and matchmaking with investors, corporates and end users. Looking ahead, the proposed European Competitiveness Fund follows the same direction: with a proposed budget of €234 billion, it aims to support strategic technologies throughout their development journey. Within it, a €125.2 billion funding window is dedicated to resilience and security, the defence industry and space.
“As part of EUDIS, Zest served as a local accelerator for the EUDIS Business Accelerator, participating in bootcamps held across the European cities involved.
The EUDIS bootcamp in Kraków, in particular, offered a three-day immersion in European defence innovation, bringing together experts in procurement, advanced technologies and ministerial strategies, alongside representatives of the armed forces and military organisations.
Operational best practices came to life through firsthand accounts and practical discussions, providing a clearer understanding of the sector’s actual processes and dynamics. The presence of Polish prime contractors and leading companies also created valuable business development opportunities for the participating startups.
A particularly significant contribution came from Ukraine, showcasing innovation processes that take lean and agile approaches to the extreme, with a strong focus on experimentation and data collection.
Military and industry experts shared operational challenges from the field and compared different ecosystems, highlighting strengths and constraints that could help startups validate and refine their solutions in real-world environments.
Startups leave this experience with technical know-how and a clearer roadmap for navigating complex markets, building strategic partnerships and accelerating growth.
All of this forms part of the EUDIS initiatives promoted by the European Commission and delivered through specialised consortia, with selection and acceleration programmes that continue to evolve.”