Defence4Tech Hub
Defence4Tech Hub is the first Digital Innovation Hub dedicated to the Defence Economy in Europe.
Defence4Tech Hub, led by idD Portugal Defence, is a consortium that also includes AED Cluster Portugal, UNINOVA, the research and development centers of the three branches of the Armed Forces and the Military University Institute (CINAMIL, CIAFA, CINAV and CIDIUM), the University of Beira Interior, the Faculty of Sciences and Technologies of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, the ISQ, CEiiA and DTx CoLAB.
The Digital Innovation Hubs are an integral part of the Digital Europe Program and aim to accelerate the dissemination and adoption of digital technologies by companies and the Public Administration, contributing to increasing the competitiveness of their processes, products and services. Defence4Tech Hub was designated to access the European seal of the European Digital Innovation Hubs network.
The Defence4Tech Hub is an important tool in the strategy for the European Defence Economy that idD Portugal Defence is promoting, playing an important role in promoting the economic fabric and contributing to the re-industrialization of Europe.
MISSION
To stimulate SMEs’ update and digital evolution in strategic Defence related sectors such as Aeronautics, Space, Naval, Electronics and Communication Systems, and their supply chains.
VISION
A TOOLBOX FOR DIGITALIZATION| Provide digital services to SMEs, speeding up product development and improving business processes.
A HUB FOR EDUCATION PROGRAMS | Connect higher education institutions and the private sector for the definition of education programs focused on the needs of the Defence Economy companies
A BOOSTER FOR TRAINING | Increase digital literacy among Portuguese workers in the Defence Economy sector, by providing upscaling training to promote digital transformation
AN INSTRUMENT TO SUPPORT INVESTMENT | Help SMEs in the Defence Economy sector attract investment, ensuring better usability and accessibility in the digital context, reducing red tape costs.
SERVICES
This hub will comprise:
- TEST BEFORE INVEST | Experimentation, testing and evaluation of the potential impact of digital technologies in the phase before the investment decision
- BETTER DIGITAL SKILLS | Qualification and training in digital areas to enhance the digital transformation and upscaling of the workforce’s competencies to modernize the Defence Economy
- EASIER ACCESS TO FUNDING | Creation of a one-stop-shop structure to support companies in the Defence Economy sector to gain access to funding opportunities for digital technologies, namely in the process of searching, preparing, submitting and following-up of applications, specifically in the context of the European Defence Fund
- STRONGER ENGAGEMENT | Acting as an enabler, gathering the industry, companies and Public Administration to adopt new technological solutions, leveraging the creation of start-ups and SME to provide market-ready digital solutions.
The services provided by Defence4Tech Hub will be non-profit.
AREAS OF COMPETENCE
CONTACTS
Defence4Tech [@] iddportugal.pt



UNINOVA (Instituto de Desenvolvimento de Novas Tecnologias), is a multidisciplinary, independent and non-profit research institute employing around 180 people, located in the metropolitan area of Lisbon.
AED Cluster Portugal (AEDCP) is the Portuguese Cluster for the Aeronautics, Space and Defence Industries and was created in 2016, as a private non-for-profit organization.
CIDIUM is the Military University Institute Research Centre, that has the role of coordination of the military R&D Centres: CINAV + CINAMIL + CIAFA. As a R&D Centre of a University Institution, promotes cooperation/association with other Universities, research centres, and commercial enterprises, transfer of knowledge from research to education courses and development of synergies amongst the Military R&D Centres as an aggregator of capacities and competencies that exist within the military and technical bodies of the Armed Forces.
CINAV is the Portuguese Navy Research Centre that supports the research conducted by the Portuguese Naval Academy and is the coordinator of the various maritime research projects related with the Navy and Maritime Authority.
CINAMIL is the Portuguese Military Academy Research Centre, that supports RTD at the Portuguese Army and the National Republican Guard.
CIAFA is the Air Force Academy Research Centre, a scientific research unit based on the premises of the Air Force Academy.
ISQ is a private non-profit association founded in 1965, declared Public Utility, and currently has more than 400 members, which include major references from national industry, SMEs, and other institutions that support the industry.
C-MAST (Center for Mechanical and Aerospace Science and Technologies) is a research centre of UBI, recognized by the Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) for over 25 years, that organizes in two research groups (Materials and Aerospace Structures, Energy and Fluids) and in two transverse lines (Space Systems; Optimization of Production and Technology Innovation).
CEiiA has a track record of over 15 years in successfully applying its design and engineering competences to deliver products and services including structural calculation, hardware-software co- design (focusing on security and safety), product design and advanced manufacturing (rapid prototyping, smart surfaces/intelligent materials, etc.).
NOVA University of Lisbon through the School of Science and Technology (FCT NOVA) is one of the most prestigious Portuguese and European engineering and science public schools. It is engaged in extensive research activity developed in 16 research centres involving 1600 PhD and Master’s students of the total enrolment of 8000. Regarding research outputs FCT NOVA has published about 12 000 papers indexed in Scopus and Web of Science (from 2015 to 2019, FCT NOVA published 4 787 papers), in top journals and conferences with high impact, where has earned recognition by its peers.
