Programme 2026

Critical Infrastructure & Societal Security 2026

A venture-piloting programme for students and recent graduates. Over four evening sessions and a public final, cross-disciplinary teams work on problems in counter-UAS, logistics and supply-chain resilience, and critical infrastructure security. They break a real problem down, develop a proof-of-concept, map a pilot pathway, and pitch to a jury of investors and industry experts.

01 / Key facts

Dates: 28 October to 25 November 2026
Format: 4 evening sessions + public final
Time: 17:00 to 21:00
Location: Partner venues across Copenhagen
Participants: 50 to 60, in teams of 4 to 6
Eligibility: Students and recent graduates, aged 18 to 30, from any Danish university or higher education institution

02 / The arc

01
Challenge
02
Problem breakdown
03
Proof-of-concept
04
Pilot pathway
05
Pitch

03 / How each evening runs

17:00 to 17:45
Talking Stage: Keynote
A partner expert introduces the evening's theme and gives teams a framework to use.
17:45 to 18:15
Talking Stage: Founder story and Q&A
A founder or practitioner shares how they tackled the same step in practice.
18:15 to 19:00
Dinner Stage
Participants, speakers and mentors eat together and discuss how the evening's insights apply to their own ventures.
19:00 to 21:00
Working Stage
Teams work hands-on on the session deliverable, supported by mentors who challenge assumptions and help define next steps.

04 / Sessions

Session 01
Wednesday 28 October
Week 44 · 17:00 to 21:00
Challenge Introduction
The opening session sets the stage. Teams get a clear picture of the current defence and security landscape in Denmark and Europe, from two angles: national security and domestic needs, and how ventures in this space are built and funded. Teams then choose a problem area and write their first hypotheses.
VenueKampkraft, Energiporten, Energiporten 2, Copenhagen
What you leave withA formed team, a chosen problem area and a first hypothesis sheet.
Details →
Session 02
Wednesday 4 November
Week 45 · 17:00 to 21:00
R&D and Tech Exploration
Before building anything, teams learn to break the problem down properly: who the stakeholders are, what the operational constraints look like, and where the technical risk sits.
VenueTo be confirmed
What you leave withA stakeholder map, a problem breakdown and a shortlist of technical approaches with the riskiest assumption named.
Details →
Session 03
Week 46, date to be confirmed
Week 46 · 17:00 to 21:00
Prototyping and Feedback
Hosted at TechStation, home to hardtech startups in Hellerup. Teams see what it takes to go from concept to working hardware, then define and stress-test their own proof-of-concept.
VenueTechStation, Ryvangs Allé 81-83, 2900 Hellerup
What you leave withA proof-of-concept plan with test criteria and a risk map of failure modes.
Details →
Session 04
Wednesday 18 November
Week 47 · 17:00 to 21:00
GTM, Procurement and Pilot Strategy
How do early teams find their first customers in defence and dual-use markets? Teams learn how early customers are mapped and identified, how procurement works, and what a credible pilot pathway looks like.
VenueTo be confirmed
What you leave withAn early-customer map, a pilot pathway plan and a first business model.
Details →
Session 05
Wednesday 25 November
Week 48 · 17:00 to 21:00
Public event
Finals: Judged Pitching
Finals night is where teams take the stage and pitch their venture case and pilot pathway to a jury of investors, defence and hardware experts. After the winners are announced, the evening continues with a reception and networking with partners and the wider ecosystem.
VenueOvnhallen, Porcelænshaven (CBS), Porcelænshaven, Frederiksberg
What you leave withA pitch, a venture case and a pilot pathway, judged on technical, operational, venture and pilot readiness.
Details →