European Defence Challenge awards showcases young talent and innovation

The 5th edition of the European Defence Challenge (EDC) concluded with an inspiring awards ceremony at the Royal Military Academy in Brussels on 9 May 2025, shining a spotlight on the next generation of innovators in the defence sector.

Organised under the ASSETs+ project, this annual competition invites students and young professionals from across Europe to develop solutions to pressing defence challenges, with a particular focus this year on landmine clearance – a critical issue as Ukraine faces the daunting task of clearing explosive remnants from nearly 29% of its territory.

The event brought together key voices from industry and policy, including Dirk Peters from the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS) of the European Commission, who addressed the evolving challenges in the defence domain. Antoine Feral of Rolls-Royce and ASD spoke on behalf of the industry on building and retaining talent for European defence, underlining the sector’s commitment to nurturing future leaders and innovators: "The skills shortage directly impacts our ability to innovate and deliver on strategic projects. The ASD community need specific aerospace and digital skills to remain competitive, to drive our innovation and growth. Promoting STEM education is fundamental for all of us."

Innovation in action

This year’s competition saw outstanding proposals that blend technological innovation with practical solutions for humanitarian and military demining:

Joint First Prize: Andrea Arieti (Technical University of Denmark) & Daniele Nannelli (University of Pisa, Italy) for "MIND Mine Identification and Neutralization Database"; and Jens Magnus Oldenburg & Christoffer Hartmann Skovsgård (University of Southern Denmark) for "Scenario specific demining".

The “MIND” project introduces a scalable, community-driven approach to landmine detection using affordable drones with thermal imaging, cloud-based data analysis, and an open-source database accessible to humanitarian organisations, military personnel, and local authorities. This model empowers affected communities to participate directly in enhancing their own safety.

The “Scenario specific demining” proposal targets the urgent need for efficient demining in Ukraine, focusing on cost-effective, locally producible equipment for neutralising specific anti-personnel mines in challenging environments, such as forests and remote areas. This approach aims to make large-scale, rapid demining feasible in regions heavily contaminated by landmines.

Second Prize: Mohammad Hajj & Karen Safa (Université Toulouse Capitole, France) for "Biotechnological Innovations for Landmine Neutralisation: Leveraging Termites and Shewanella"

Third Prize: Matylda Iwanicka & Radosław Ciećko (Politechnika Rzeszowska im. Ignacego Łukasiewicza, Poland) for "The concept of ultrasonic mine detection"

Fostering the future of defence innovation

Congratulations to all participants for their dedication and ingenuity. The European Defence Challenge continues to be a cornerstone in building the next generation of talent for Europe’s defence and security sectors.