Tough Tech by Tough Ten
Download Report vol.1 2025
Tough Tech by Tough Ten
“Tough Tech by the Tough Ten” report — a first-of-its-kind map of defence, dual-use, cyber, and space innovations in the EU frontline states, released on November 24, 2025
1
Purpose of the Report
“Tough Tech By The Tough Ten” is first-of-its-kind overview of defence, dual-use, cyber, and space innovations in the EU frontline states.
​
The report aims to map investment activity, funding availability, ecosystem stakeholders, startups to watch, and key policy developments in a standardised, non‑sensitive format, emphasising cross-country cooperation, collaboration, and the sense of urgency.
2
Countries and Industries covered
The countries covered in this report include the "Tough Ten" countries: so-called Bucharest Nine (B9) - Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, and Hungary, - with the addition of Finland, which joined NATO in April 2023.
​
The startups covered in this report operate in NATO’s 9 innovation priority technology areas, with the addition of cybersecurity of critical infrastructure:
-
Artificial intelligence (AI)
-
Autonomous systems
-
Quantum technologies
-
Biotechnology and human enhancement technologies
-
Space
-
Hypersonic systems
-
Novel materials and manufacturing
-
Energy and propulsion
-
Next-generation communications networks
-
Cybersecurity of critical infrastructure (excluded from summary charts)
