EIC seeks security‑cleared defence experts to vet equity investments in disruptive technologies
- ›The European Innovation Council is recruiting defence specialists with valid EU Confidential clearances to evaluate companies for direct equity investment.
- ›Expertise spans air and missile defence, drones and counter-drones, cyber and electronic warfare, ground and maritime combat, and medical countermeasures.
- ›Panels are short term and may include on site sessions in Brussels. Remuneration follows EU expert schemes but exact rates are not specified in the call.
- ›First evaluation panels are planned for late 2026. Registration and keyword updates must be completed in the EU Funding and Tenders experts database.
Call for security-cleared defence experts to assess EIC equity investments
The European Innovation Council is assembling panels of defence and finance experts to determine which European companies should receive direct equity investments to scale disruptive defence innovations. The assignment sits at the intersection of technology diligence and investment screening and targets specialists who already hold a valid Personal Security Clearance at EU Confidential level.
Scope of expertise and profiles sought
The EIC is looking for specialist knowledge across critical defence technologies and for assessors with financial or venture capital experience. Evaluators will scrutinise both technical credibility and the investability of proposals tied to sensitive capability areas.
Priority technology domains
Air and missile defence. Artillery and precision strikes. Missiles and ammunition. Drones and counter-drones. Strategic enablers. Cyber, AI and electronic warfare. Military mobility. Ground combat. Maritime. Air combat. Medical and countermeasures.
Eligibility, clearances and selection
Candidates must have demonstrable professional expertise in the listed domains and a valid Personal Security Clearance. The EIC will also balance panels for gender and apply rotation to avoid over-reliance on a small pool of reviewers. Selection draws on the European Commission experts database and considers both technical and investment credentials.
Workload, format and remuneration
Assignments are short term and panel based. Evaluations may combine remote work with possible on site sessions in Brussels. The call states that experts will be duly remunerated. In EU programmes this typically follows unit cost schemes for preparation, individual evaluations, consensus and panel roles, though the call does not fix rates. Travel for on site sessions is usually reimbursed under Commission rules.
| Indicative EU expert tasks | Typical activity | Illustrative unit cost context |
| Preparation and briefing | Reading guidance and briefings for a session | Often remunerated as a fixed unit per session in EU schemes |
| Individual evaluation | Score and draft report per proposal by complexity tier | Unit costs scale with complexity in Commission models |
| Consensus participation | Remote or on-site discussion to agree scores | Additional unit costs per proposal |
| Consensus rapporteur | Drafting consensus report | Further unit costs when acting as rapporteur |
| Panel review duties | Panel preparation or chairing | Higher unit costs per session in EU models |
Note. The figures used by the Commission for expert work vary by programme and assignment type. The present call does not publish exact rates. Experts should consult the Funding and Tenders Portal and their specific contract for binding terms.
How to register and signal your profile
Experts must register or update their profile in the European Commission experts database via the EU Funding and Tenders Portal. Profiles should explicitly include relevant keywords to surface in the search for this call. The Commission points candidates to FAQs for experts and the IT manual for step by step guidance.
Timeline and future panels
If selected, the EIC will contact experts directly. The first evaluation panels under this effort are planned for end of 2026. The Commission also signals that qualified experts may be contacted later for other defence related programmes beyond the EIC.
Programme context and open questions
The recruitment aligns with the EIC’s 2026 work programme and its use of the EIC Fund for direct equity investments in strategic technologies. While the EIC historically funds civilian deep tech, much of its portfolio is dual-use. The pivot to explicitly defence critical areas reflects broader EU priorities on security and defence. It also raises a few practical considerations. First, requiring an existing EU Confidential clearance narrows the candidate pool and may bias selection toward experts already embedded in national defence ecosystems. Second, investor involvement on panels can strengthen commercial scrutiny but also demands clear conflict management where firms or funds could later co-invest. Third, it remains to be seen how these equity screens will coordinate with the European Defence Fund and national ministries to avoid duplication while respecting the EU’s legal framework and member state prerogatives. Finally, the end-2026 start suggests a long runway. Companies seeking capital sooner may look to national or private routes in the interim.
| Quick reference | Details | Where to act |
| Who is eligible | Defence tech experts and finance or VC professionals with relevant track records | Build a detailed expert profile and CV |
| Security requirement | Valid PSC at EU Confidential level before expressing interest | Contact your National Security Authority for guidance |
| Registration | EU Funding and Tenders Portal experts database | Register or update and add defence, security clearance, VC keywords |
| Work format | Short term panel assignments. Possible on site in Brussels | Ensure availability and travel readiness |
| Remuneration | Duly remunerated under EU expert schemes. Rates set in contract | Review contract terms before acceptance |
| Start timeline | First EIC panels expected end of 2026 | Apply early due to clearance constraints |
| Related programmes | Defence related initiatives beyond the EIC may draw on the same pool | Remain responsive to further calls |
Compliance, data protection and oversight
As with other EU expert roles, personal data in applications and contracting are processed under Regulation 2018/1725. The Commission and EISMEA apply standard IT and data protection safeguards and may disclose information to oversight bodies where lawful and proportionate. Suspected fraud affecting EU funds can be reported confidentially to OLAF via the Fraud Notification System. Experts should retain documentation of their work and decisions to support transparency and later audits.