On March 5, 2024, the Defence Innovation Research Institute Nonprofit Ltd. (VIKI) and the Ministry of Defence jointly organised the EDF Large Enterprise Workshop at the Stefánia Palace. The event aimed to familiarise Hungarian companies with the European Union’s Defence Dund to advance Hungary’s defence research and development projects.
“The challanges do not begin on the battlefield. It is our task to provide the organisational, technical, training and infrastructual environment that will enable defence innovation to put technologies and applications in the hands of the military that guarantee the security of the Hungarian citizens”, said Brigadier General Imre Porkoláb, CEO of VIKI, in his opening speech. He emphasized the vital role of defence innovation in ensuring the the safety of Hungary.
Speakers of the event included Csaba Latorcai, Parliamentary State Secretary and Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Public Administration and Regional Development; Colonel Mihály Bárány, VIKI EDF expert and national EDF liason deputy; Dr. András Levente Balog, Hungarian national EDF liaison and head of the Hungarian delegation to the EDF Programme Committee; Áron Fellegi, Vice Chairman of the Board of EuroAtlantic Consulting Ltd.; and Gyula Pomázi, Consultant of the Hungarian Development Promotion Office. They emphasied that these tenders present excellent opportunitities not only for large enterprises, but also for small and medium-sized companies. and if they succeed, they can contribute to Hungary’s further integration into the European Union.
Therefore, they encouraged the representatives of large enterprises to actively participate in EDF applications and take on leadership roles in consortia, as through these, international consortia can access 8 billion euros during the current seven-year EU funding cycle. Compared to 6 million euros in 2022, Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprises received 8 million euros in funding in 2023.
