Security
Zabala Innovation consolidates its positioning in these sectors through EU-funded projects and relevant collaborations with key players
At a glance: the essentials of this article
Europe’s security, defence and space sectors have gained strategic importance amid rising geopolitical tensions, climate-driven disasters and cyber threats. In response, Zabala Innovation has strengthened its role by expanding its expertise, contributing to major EU-funded projects and deepening collaborations with key institutions.
Over the past five years, the security, space and defence sectors have become increasingly central to Europe’s strategy. The Covid crisis, growing geopolitical tensions, climate-change caused natural disasters, ongoing cybersecurity events and emerging hybrid threats have pushed EU countries to strengthen defence cooperation and invest in advanced technologies pertaining to security or dual use applications. At the same time, space capabilities have become essential for secure communications, navigation, and environmental monitoring. “These sectors now play a crucial role in safeguarding critical infrastructure, supporting crisis response and ensure the protection of EU citizens from everyday threats as well as major natural or man-made events”, says Margherita Volpe, Security, space and defence Knowledge area leader at Zabala Innovation.
Aligned with these developments, Zabala Innovation has strengthened its presence in these strategic sectors by internally establishing a highly specialized team, submitting and actively participating in successful European Defence Fund (EDF) and Horizon Europe Cluster 3 Civil security for society projects, and increasing collaborations with strategic clients and key European institutions.
“Horizon Europe Cluster3 Civil security for society has been a cornerstone of the Security, defence and space team, generating valuable knowledge as well as relevant collaborations with active players and European institutions of the sector”, underlines Volpe. “Under this cluster, Zabala Innovation has had a key role both for proposal writing and for implementation of core actions related with co-creation with stakeholders, dissemination, communication, exploitation, project management support, and coordination of working group dedicated to the development of final technical and policy-oriented recommendations”, she adds.
Thanks to the variety of competences of its technicians, Zabala Innovation has participated in project ranging from eco-crimes, such as EMERITUS (Fighting against crime and terrorism destination) to cybersecurity, such as SHAS AI (Cybersecurity destination).
EMERITUS – Environmental crimes’ intelligence and investigation protocol based on multiple data sources, funded under Horizon Europe (HORIZON-CL3-2021-FCT-01-09) and completed in August 2025, aimed to develop and validate a protocol for effective environmental crime investigation through the integration of innovative monitoring and analysis technologies, such as satellite data, drones, virtual sensors, GNSS, and AI-based geo-intelligence. Bringing together 20 partners from nine European countries, including eight law enforcement and border guard authorities, the consortium co-created a digital platform supporting operational decision-making at national and cross-border levels. Four Use Cases, involving water pollution, waste storage, cross-border waste trafficking, and illegal waste sites, tested and validated the protocol and platform in real operational contexts. More than 80 officers were trained through a dedicated international training programme (including Train-the-Trainer), ensuring long-term capacity building and transfer of expertise. Collaboration with EUSPA on Galileo-based navigation and monitoring, IMPEL on practitioner validation, CERIS the European Commission’s security research community, and UNICRI on policy dialogue and dissemination made EMERITUS a strong example of cross-sector innovation, bridging technology, enforcement, and policy to advance the fight against environmental crime.
The SHASAI – Secure Hardware and Software for AI Systems project, funded by the European Union under Horizon Europe (HORIZON-CL3-2024-CS-01-01), aims to strengthen the security, resilience, and trustworthiness of Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems across their entire lifecycle. Bringing together 16 partners from five European countries, including industrial leaders, research institutions, and SMEs. SHASAI focuses on the intersection between AI, software, and hardware security, developing innovative tools and frameworks for continuous vulnerability detection, automated testing, and real-time defence against AI-specific threats. Over 42 months, SHASAI will validate its technologies through three real-world use cases that reflect high-risk and safety-critical applications: healthcare, with eye-tracking systems for augmentative and alternative communication; agrifood industry with AI-based cutting machines for predictive maintenance and safety; and mobility with tele-operated, AI-driven last-mile delivery vehicles. The project’s outcomes will contribute to trustworthy certification schemes, enhance industrial competitiveness, and support Europe’s digital sovereignty.
Two projects particularly stand out for the significant role played byf Zabala Innovation as both proposal writing entity and implementing partner: BODYGUARD and INTSENS2, both funded under the EDF programme. “These projects showcase our expertise in dissemination and exploitation, and support to project management related activities”, notes Volpe .
The BODYGUARD – Autonomous SSA Bodyguard Onboard Satellite project intends build capabilities towards threat detection, assessment and self-protection against natural and artificial risks, and to develop a validated design for an AI-enhanced on-board SSA solution built for satellites. Its approach is expected to outmatch current ground-based SSA approaches in precision, coverage and reactivity alike through real time AI-driven decision-making. It will furthermore bring innovative sensors combining LIDAR and IR packaged in an edge computing setup benefiting from digital twin design solutions. This €6,4 million project is implemented by a consortium of 12 partners from 9 countries, including Zabala Innovation.
If BODYGUARD focuses its attention on protection of space objects, INTSENS2 – Proactive automatic imagery intelligence powered by artificial intelligence exploiting European space assets make use of such objects and their capabilities to provide valuable intelligence insight for defence purposes. Indeed, this project, completed in December 2024, worked on the application of Artificial Intelligence to automatize and improve intelligence derived from Imagery Intelligence (IMINT), and Earth Observation (EO). Two technologies using Artificial Intelligence lie at the core of the solution namely Super-resolution and Automatic Extraction. IntSen2 has been implemented by European multi-stakeholder consortium involving 11 entities from 7 different countries, including Zabala Innovation coordination and dissemination of project results.
The active work and participation of Zabala Innovation in the defence sector dates back to the preparatory PADR and EDIDP programmes and has consistently intensified since 2021 within the European Defence Fund programme (58% success rate) and beyond. Indeed, “by working on a variety of subject matters encompassing maritime and underwater defence, intelligence, materials and manufacturing in harsh conditions, in-field technologies for energy supply and health, Zabala Innovation has secured more than €200 million of funding for its clients, working on both thematic and open topics”, highlights Volpe.
A relevant example of EDF project written and implemented by Zabala Innovation is DISCMAM – Digital Supply-Chain for On-Site Maintenance in defence by Additive Manufacturing. With a budget of more than €3,6 million and a 10 partners consortium, including Zabala Innovation, the project is dedicated to the development secure digital pathway for repair and manufacturing of spare parts, using additive manufacturing technologies, for remote assistance to military field operations.
Beyond EDF, it is worth remarking that Zabala Innovation has played an active role in the European Defence Agency’s (EDA) Incubation Forum for Circular Economy in European Defence (IF CEED), providing strategic support to clients pursuing proofs of concept and other tangible outcomes in areas such as critical raw materials, sustainable textiles, and eco-management. Among the most recent successes is the MICRAM – Sustainable Circularity and CRM Recovery for MW Radiation Protection and Stealth D project, launched in 2025 under the IF CEED initiative about green defence. It focuses on identifying and processing suitable electronic waste to recover valuable materials through hydrometallurgical extraction. The recovered critical raw materials are then transformed into advanced materials—including aerogels and thin films—designed for use in tactical clothing, stealth systems, and protective shelters. These innovations also provide microwave radiation shielding, a crucial feature for both equipment and personnel safety. The consortium behind MICRAM brings together key European partners: AITEX and FECSA from Spain, the Tor Vergata University of Rome in Italy, and Łukasiewicz – Institute of Non-Ferrous Metals in Poland, demonstrating a robust cross-border collaboration for greener and more resilient defence capabilities.
While proudly looking to the work conducted so far, Volpe believes that Zabala Innovation’s most recent results deserve special recognition. “In the second half of 2025, our consultancy has worked on the preparation and submission of four defence proposals, one project under Horizon Europe Cluster 4 Space project and two initiatives within Horizon Europe Cluster 3 Civil security for Society”, he points out, before adding that “two proposals supported by Zabala Innovation under the 2024 EDF call – NEUROQUAD and ARGOS – were successfully selected”.
The project NEUROQUAD – Disruptive “NEURO-QUantum-AI technology symbiosis” for Real-Time Cognitive Monitoring and Decision Support to improve Pilot Control and Safety, aims at improving neuronal monitoring of military pilots and predict not only pilot cognitive states but also pilot’s readiness and fitness for a mission in real-time is critical, yet current systems are inadequate for this purpose. This €4 million project is implemented by a consortium of seven entities from six countries, including Zabala Innovation.
Finally, ARGOS – AI Reconnaissance for Geo-based Operational Systems, a €5 million project with 12 partners from 9 countries, intends to enhance EU defence capabilities by developing AI-driven solutions for satellite imagery analysis, enabling accurate detection and monitoring of military activities
According to Volpe, in the next EU multiannual financial framework, security, defence, and space are expected to play a reinforced and more strategic role. “The EU is likely to prioritise stronger collective capabilities, increased technological sovereignty, and improved resilience against emerging threats”, she argues. “Space infrastructures will remain vital for secure connectivity, surveillance, and crisis management. Defence-related innovation and joint procurement are also anticipated to receive greater support to reduce fragmentation. Overall, these domains are set to become key pillars of Europe’s long-term competitiveness, protection, and strategic autonomy”, she observes.
“Thanks to the valuable experience gathered in these years as well as the professionalism of the specialized Security, Defence and Space knowledge area, Zabala Innovation will continue to stay at the forefront of the EU-funding landscape related to these sector and provide clients with valuable insights on existing and forthcoming opportunities, as well as accompanying clients in an effective journey to transform promising ideas into successful applications for funding”, concludes Volpe.
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