ASD Convention 2026

The SME Programme opens on the evening of 27 April with networking and a welcome reception in the heart of Lisbon. The SME Programme is designed with one purpose: turning connections into contracts and ideas into scale. Innovative companies from across Europe will engage directly with prime contractors, EU and NATO institutional partners, investors and policymakers – cutting through the complexity of funding landscapes from the EDF and EDIP to the EIC Accelerator and NATO DIANA.

A dedicated Innovation Showcase provides a platform for European SMEs to demonstrate cutting-edge capabilities to an audience that has the authority to act on what it sees.

17:15–18:00 – Speed Networking 

An energising start to the Convention, this structured speed‑networking session is designed to help delegates make meaningful connections before the main programme begins. Participants will be guided through short, focused conversations that maximise the number and quality of new contacts.

18:00–20:00 – Welcome Reception 

Delegates are then invited to join their hosts for a welcome reception at one of Lisbon’s most distinctive venues. The reception will offer informal networking in a relaxed setting, bringing together SME leaders, senior industry executives and institutional stakeholders on the eve of the Convention.

08:00–09:00 – SME Leadership Networking Breakfast 

The day opens with an SME Leadership Networking Breakfast, offering aerospace, defence and security SMEs an opportunity to connect with larger industrial partners, financial actors and policymakers in an informal setting. .

09:00–09:10 – Welcome Remarks 

A formal welcome will set the scene for the SME programme, with opening remarks  from ASD Secretary General Camille Grand and ASD President Micael Johansson, together with José Neves, President of AED Cluster Portugal.

09:10–09:20 – Opening Keynote: Powering Europe’s Defence, Aeronautics and Security SMEs 

The opening keynote will focus on how to power Europe’s defence, aeronautics and security SMEs as engines of innovation, competitiveness and resilience.

09:20–10:10 Panel 1 – From Policy to Practice: Building a Stronger Aerospace & Defence SME Ecosystem  

The SMEs form the backbone of Europe's aerospace and defence supply chains, yet many still struggle to navigate the complex web of EU policy frameworks, regulatory requirements, and cross-border barriers that shape their operating environment. As defence spending surges and the EU rolls out ambitious industrial strategies  from EDIS to ReArm Europe  the question is no longer whether SMEs matter, but whether the policy architecture is keeping pace with the urgency on the ground. 

This panel brings together senior EU policymakers from EISMEA, DG GROW, DG DEFIS, and FISMA alongside national industry representatives to examine how the regulatory and policy landscape is evolving to support SME growth. Speakers will assess whether current frameworks for market access, standardisation, and investment are delivering results  or creating new obstacles. The session will confront the gap between strategic ambition and operational reality, and explore the concrete steps needed to build a genuinely integrated European SME ecosystem in aerospace and defence.

10:10–10:25 – Networking Coffee 

A networking coffee break will give participants the opportunity to engage directly with EU institutional representatives, financial institutions and national associations present in the SME track.

10:25–11:15 – From Start‑up to Strategic Partner: SME Best Practices and Supply Chain Expectations 

Europe's defence industrial ramp-up cannot succeed without SMEs moving from the periphery to the core of major supply chains. Yet for many small and medium-sized companies, the path from innovative start-up to trusted strategic supplier remains fraught with challenges  from meeting certification requirements and managing cash flow at scale, to understanding what prime contractors actually need from their supplier base. 

This panel puts the experience of those who have made that journey  and those selecting them  at the centre of the conversation. SMEs from across Europe will share the realities of breaking into aerospace and defence procurement, while OEMs from Saab and Leonardo will outline what they look for in suppliers, how they assess readiness, and where the biggest gaps remain. The session will examine best practices for scaling operations, building cross-border partnerships, and positioning as a long-term strategic partner rather than a transactional supplier.

11:15–12:30. Presentations: Funding & Financing Opportunities for Aerospace & Defence SMEs  

A series of focused presentations showcasing the financial instruments, grant programmes, and accelerator pathways available to aerospace and defence SMEs looking to grow, innovate, and scale. 

Euronext – Presenting the European A&D Growth Hub and the related Euronext initiatives supporting aerospace and defence companies in accessing capital markets and growth financing. 

Deutsche Bank – An overview of Deutsche Bank's defence sector financing solutions and how SMEs can access lending and investment support. 

EDF/EDIP – How SMEs can participate in and benefit from the European Defence Fund and the European Defence Industry Programme. 

EIC Accelerator – The EU's flagship innovation programme offering grants and equity investment for breakthrough technologies with defence and dual-use applications. 

NATO DIANA – NATO's accelerator for deep-tech start-ups addressing critical security challenges, and how European SMEs can engage.

12:45–13:45 – Networking Lunch 

A networking lunch will bring together SME participants, institutional speakers and larger industrial players, enabling follow‑up discussions.

13:45–14:00 – Official Opening 

The afternoon plenary part of the ASD Convention will be officially opened by President Micael Johansson, CEO of Saab, alongside José Neves, President of AED Cluster Portugal, welcoming delegates to Lisbon and framing the Convention’s strategic objectives.

14:00–14:15 – Keynote Speech on Europe’s Industrial Strategy 

A keynote speech will address Europe’s prosperity and industrial strategy, including the clean, competitive and innovative transition of its aerospace and security ecosystem.

14:15–15:15 Panel 1: European Civil Aeronautics: From Industrial Strategy to Industrial Strength 

Europe's civil aviation sector represents one of the continent's rare claims to genuine global industrial leadership – a position built over decades through sustained investment, bold technological ambition, and the deep collaborative ecosystem anchored by Airbus and its supply chain partners across the continent.  

This panel convenes senior industry and policy leaders to confront a central question: how does Europe convert its industrial vision into industrial strength? Speakers will examine the EU's emerging industrial strategy for civil aeronautics and its alignment – or misalignment – with climate commitments, defence priorities and innovation policy. The panel will explore the dual-use technologies that increasingly bridge civil aviation and defence, the structural pressures facing the supply chain from tier-one primes to specialised SMEs, and the concrete steps needed to secure Europe's competitive edge on the global stage. The ambition is clear; the path to achieving it is the subject of this session.

15:15–15:45 – Networking Break 

A mid‑afternoon networking break will allow participants to continue discussions informally with speakers and peers from across Europe’s aerospace, security and defence community.

15:45–16:00 – Opening of the Defence & Security Session 

The Defence & Security Session will be opened with a keynote address by Nuno Melo, Minister of National Defence of Portugal.

16:00–17:00 Panel 2: Buy European, Build Together: Enhancing Europe's Technological Sovereignty 

Russia's sustained assault on Ukraine, combined with deepening uncertainty over the durability of transatlantic security guarantees, has exposed the gap between Europe's defence ambitions and the industrial base required to underwrite them.  

Defence spending is rising across the continent, yet the capacity of European industry to absorb new investment, ramp up production and deliver sovereign capability at the required pace remains the defining industrial challenge of this decade. This panel goes beyond the rhetoric of rearmament to address the structural and financial architecture needed to make European defence industrial ambition real. 

Discussions will examine how the next Multiannual Financial Framework can fund European defence at genuine scale, and what lessons can be drawn from the EDF, EDIP and other existing instruments. Panellists will debate whether a single market for defence serves as a catalyst for readiness or an obstacle to security of supply and swift industrial ramp-up. The industrial and technological lessons of Ukraine will be examined directly: what has the conflict revealed about European readiness, and how does it reshape the future of defence industrial cooperation with Kyiv? The session will also address the cyber dimension – ensuring the resilience of mission-critical systems, critical infrastructure and the supply chains upon which European security ultimately depends.

17:00–17:15 Closing Keynote Address 

The Convention day will close with a high‑level keynote on Europe’s defence and space agenda.

17:15–18:15 – Local Innovation Showcase 

A local innovation showcase will highlight Portuguese and European innovations relevant to defence, security and dual‑use capabilities, offering a final opportunity for technical demonstrations and networking.

20:00–22:30 – Gala Dinner 

The ASD Convention Gala Dinner at an iconic venue in Lisbon will provide a high‑level networking setting for senior representatives from industry, EU and national institutions, and partner organisations.