Fifteen promising Australian ventures are taking part in the 2026 Entrepreneurial Foundations for Defence+ (EFD+) program, a core element of Defence Trailblazer’s award-winning DINAMIC Program.
Designed for researchers, innovators and emerging companies with products, services and technologies that can deliver capability benefits to Australia’s defence sector, EFD+ provides participants with the knowledge, networks and practical tools needed to navigate the defence market.
Delivered over 12 weeks from August to November 2026, the program combines online learning, in-person workshops, expert mentoring and technical guidance to help participants strengthen their defence, technology and commercial readiness.
Through EFD+, participants gain access to experienced defence mentors and specialists who help them better understand Defence capability needs, pathways to market, and the steps required to position their innovations for future adoption and investment.
The 2026 cohort represents a diverse cross-section of Australia’s innovation ecosystem, spanning startups, SMEs and emerging technology companies from across the country. Collectively, they are addressing a broad range of capability priorities and demonstrating the depth of innovation being developed within Australia’s sovereign industrial base.
The 2026 EFD+ cohort with program presenters and Defence Trailblazer staff.
The 2026 EFD+ cohort includes:
- Arc Professional Services
- Archo Consulting IoT Consultants
- Arms Operations Analysis
- Frontier Fluid Systems
- Deneb Space
- Ferra Labs
- Green Shield Solutions
- Ignis Hypersonics
- LexChip
- MILLIBEAM
- Neustonymous
- Sovereign Mesh
- Santosh Holdings
- Warspite Systems
- ScreenIT by Your Brain Health
Find out more about the 2026 EFD+ cohort here.
EFD+ SHOWCASE EVENT
The program culminates with the Entrepreneurial Foundations for Defence+ Showcase on 12 November 2026, where participants will present their ventures to representatives from Defence, industry and the investment community.
The showcase will provide an opportunity to explore emerging Australian technologies and services addressing defence priorities across counter-UAS, intelligence and surveillance, artificial intelligence, space domain awareness, survivability, autonomous systems, human performance, sovereign supply chains and sustainment.
As Australia’s defence innovation ecosystem continues to evolve, EFD+ plays an important role in preparing emerging ventures to engage with Defence, industry and investors. The program is helping to build a pipeline of sovereign Australian technologies and businesses with the potential to contribute to future Defence capability.
Looking beyond 2026, Defence Trailblazer’s vision is to expand this support through the proposed Australian Defence Industry Incubator (AUSDII), creating a nationally connected pathway that helps startups and SMEs progress from early-stage innovation through to commercialisation, investment and capability adoption. The future sustainment of programs such as EFD+ is closely linked to the establishment of AUSDII and the support of industry, government and ecosystem partners. Organisations interested in helping shape the next generation of Australian defence innovation are invited to learn more about AUSDII and opportunities to become a partner.
