One of the key messages from UCA in the #Clusters4Defense advocacy campaign is a call for better use of existing instruments, as well as the creation of new ones. This publication summarizes five key ideas – priority action areas for UCA clusters and Eurocluster partners, presented by the UCA CEO at the recent conference on April 16.

1. Improving integration and participation in existing European support programs

Several EU programs, including EDF, Horizon Europe, and Digital Europe, provide extensive funding opportunities for development in Dual-Use sectors, with Military Technology specifically covered under EDF. However, the participation of Ukrainian clusters in these programs remains limited.

Example: Within the IDEALIST project consortium (Horizon Europe), which includes APPAU, there is a dedicated focus on the aerospace and defence segment. Until now, several participating EU clusters, including Czech Aerospace and the Silesian Aviation Cluster in Poland, as well as French and Italian clusters, have operated separately from Ukraine, shaping their own agendas. It was recently decided that the Ukrainian OIKC Cluster will join the next consortium meeting in Katowice in June to present UCA’s agenda and priorities — an important step toward stronger cooperation with Polish and Czech clusters.

The Rivne Interregional Medical Cluster is applying a similar approach in the Clusters4Health project, where European partners are being engaged in the Ukrainian agenda on rehabilitation, tactical medicine, and medical innovation.

Action point: Increase the number of UCA clusters participating in EDF and Horizon Europe projects — to join at least 10 consortia by 2025–2026.

2. Integration into government-led programs of EU member states.

Today, more than 10 countries — including all Baltic and Scandinavian nations, as well as Poland, the Czech Republic, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and others — are operating support programs for Ukraine in the Dual-Use/ military Technology sector. Yet, clusters from both the EU and Ukraine are largely absent from these initiatives, despite the availability of tens of millions of euros in potential funding. This makes engagement in such programs a clear priority.

Example: The Czech government is currently supporting multiple cooperation formats with the Ukrainian defense sector, including direct procurement by Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense, Czech–Ukrainian joint ventures, and support for initiatives like Invest in Bravery and business delegations. Despite 7 business missions and close relations with at least 5 Czech partners, UCA clusters have yet to access these programs. The primary reason is a lack of structured project proposals from UCA clusters to the Czech Ministry of Defense, the institution responsible for allocating the funds, while our partners have been working primarily with the Ministry of Industry and Trade. In April, UCA began addressing this gap by initiating contact with the Czech Ministry of Defence (MoD) and submitting project concepts.

Action points: 1. Establish direct communication with policymakers in EU countries responsible for Dual-Use/ military Technology initiatives; 2. Maintain regular updates and coordination with cluster partners in each target country; 3. Proactively propose concrete joint projects and cooperation formats.

3. Launch of bi-/multilateral cluster committees

Objective: To monitor and promote potential Dual-Use cooperation projects and build long-term collaboration agendas. This direction is intended as a more in-depth and structured extension of the previous two mechanisms.

Example: The concept of bilateral cluster committees was introduced under the ClusterINT project, as part of the Professionals4Ukraine program. It originally envisioned establishing committees with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania. Although the idea was initially well-received, it faced implementation challenges, primarily due to a lack of qualified resources on the Ukrainian side and, similarly, limited capacity, motivation, and leadership among clusters in the target countries.

Currently, discussions are underway to establish a bilateral committee with the Czech Republic, with the support of the Czech Embassy in Ukraine.

Action point: Launch two bilateral cluster committees in 2025, starting with Czechia and Poland.

4. Better use of existing exchange and support platforms

The EU offers a variety of platforms that provide significant opportunities for networking, matchmaking, analysis, and access to resources — yet many of them remain underutilized by Ukrainian clusters.

Example: The ECCP platform is focused explicitly on cluster collaboration and offers a wide range of tools, including EU Clusters Talks, Clusters Meet Regions, C2Labs, and Matchmaking events — most of which are still underutilized by Ukrainian clusters. The SPARK platform of the European Security and Defence Association is well-suited for those aiming to engage with EDF-related calls and event agendas. The AGORA platform by EIT Manufacturing also offers strong opportunities for networking, matchmaking, access to funding, and acceleration in industrial innovation. Additionally, several project-based initiatives are currently underway, including the rapidly developing EUDIS matchmaking platform for defense innovation.

Action point: Increase the presence of UCA clusters and their members on these platforms and improve their active use of the available instruments.

5. Development of strong business cases – both ecosystem-level and B2B

Business cases — serving as initial technical tasks or project briefs — are the starting point for launching any development or collaborative initiative. To activate cooperation and leverage European resources, Ukrainian stakeholders must provide clear, well-structured, and compelling business cases. Without them, partners remain disoriented, which leads to:

– A proliferation of developments that are irrelevant to wartime challenges and the needs of Ukraine’s defense sector
– Ukrainian clusters and their members failing to engage the industrial and R&D potential of allied countries

Example: UCA’s business mission to the Czech Republic in November 2023, focusing on cybersecurity, was among the most promising in terms of discussion quality and collaboration opportunities. The Ukrainian delegation comprised top representatives from the State Special Communications Service, leading developers and integrators, the National Aviation University, and Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI). One key synergy identified was collaboration on prototyping and testing infrastructure — the Czech side offered excellent labs and SME training experience in critical infrastructure. In contrast, the Ukrainian side contributed real-world cybersecurity scenarios and defense expertise.

Yet, a year and a half later, no joint project has been launched.
The key reasons include:

1. Lack of concrete project proposals or business cases from the Ukrainian side
2. Low proactivity on both sides
3. Sensitivity around the topic, with uncertainty about what can be disclosed publicly

Business cases must become the foundation for joint project proposals.
Action points: 1. Coordinate with relevant government bodies on confidentiality and communication protocols related to Dual-Use / MilTech cases. 2. Identify product and business managers within UCA clusters willing to take on case development. 3. Train them on proper case structuring and documentation. 4. Develop at least 10 ecosystem-level Dual-Use business cases in 2025 and align them with UCA cluster project proposals.

The implementation of these action areas across the outlined categories is well within reach for the UCA clusters, united under the Resource Center for Dual-Use Technologies. What’s needed is the will of cluster leaders, along with the engagement of experts and community members in specific action tracks.

UCA Executive Directorate