€454bn
is the projected defense expenditure of the 27 EU Member States in 2026, reflecting accelerated investment in capabilities, equipment and readiness.
European Defense Agency, 2026
Management and Strategy
Defense Sector: Innovation, Industry and Investment
Grow your business in the defense sector, without starting from scratch.
Discover success stories like that of Ricardo Mendes, CEO of TEKEVER, and hear Fernando Medina and António Vitorino share their vision for the future of defense.
next edition 29 Oct 2026
duration 34 hours
study mode Blended
language Portuguese and English
investment €1,950
why this program?
Defense is attracting investment, innovation and new opportunities
€5.8bn
in funding has been allocated to Portugal through the European SAFE instrument for strategic investment in defense capabilities.
Government of Portugal, 2026
€3.47bn
in defense-related sales are generated by Portugal’s business ecosystem in the sector, which includes around 440 companies.
idD Portugal Defense / ECO eRadar, 2026
21%
of Portuguese exports of goods with military applications in 2025 were drones, a category that has been experiencing particularly rapid growth.
Banco de Portugal / ECO, 2026
Defense, economy and strategy
The new era of Defense
Defense is taking on an increasingly important economic, industrial and strategic dimension. For businesses, understanding this new context means looking at production capacity, supply chains, technology, investment and international cooperation as interconnected parts of the same ecosystem.
5% of GDP on Defense: what changes for businesses
Jorge Rodrigues explores the changes reshaping the Defense economy and outlines the path businesses need to understand to enter this market: from capability building and investment to financing, business planning and the development of partnerships in Portugal, NATO and the European Union.
who is it for?
Different backgrounds, shared challenges
Executives and managers focused on entering or expanding in the Defense sector
Decision-makers seeking to understand the sector’s rules, players and opportunities in order to build a positioning and growth strategy.
Leaders of industrial and technology SMEs
Companies undergoing industrial conversion, diversification or international expansion and considering Defense as a new area of opportunity.
Founders and leaders of dual-use start-ups and scale-ups
Ventures in areas such as AI, drones, space and cybersecurity seeking to understand markets, funding and routes into the Defense ecosystem.
Public-sector decision-makers in innovation, industry, procurement or strategy
Professionals involved in defining, implementing or overseeing policies, programs and instruments related to Defense and industry.
Investors and capital managers in defense, aerospace, deep tech and security
Professionals who need to interpret geopolitical risk, market dynamics, critical technologies and funding instruments.
Consultants and advisors in regulated and strategic sectors
Professionals supporting organizations in opportunity assessment, investment, compliance, international expansion and business development.
what you will develop
Knowledge that translates into decisions
Geopolitical Risk and Decision-Making
Translate geopolitical context and risk into structured business, investment and positioning decisions.
EU and NATO Ecosystem
Map institutional and industrial stakeholders, access requirements, capital flows and relevant instruments for operating in the sector.
Dual-use and Industrial Conversion
Identify opportunities in dual-use technologies, emerging strategic applications and industrial conversion and scale-up processes.
Procurement, Compliance and Security
Understand institutional procurement, licensing, security clearance and compliance requirements for entering and operating in the sector.
Investment and Funding
Structure investment and funding strategies, identifying European, NATO and other strategic capital instruments.
Competitive Positioning
Define your position in the value chain and build a market-entry roadmap, including partners and execution alternatives.
why pbs?
4 reasons to choose this program
Defense Lab with a NOS challenge
A challenge launched by NOS Security Technology runs across all four phases of the program and culminates in a Defense market-entry plan presented at the closing session.
From geopolitics to market entry
The journey connects geopolitical context, industrial structure, procurement, innovation, funding and execution in a sequence focused on business decisions.
Direct exposure to the Defense ecosystem
Sessions bring together perspectives from decision-makers, industry, institutional organizations, investors and companies operating in Defense and dual-use markets.
Real cases and applied decision-making
Success stories, panels, exercises and working sessions explore different approaches to market entry, growth, innovation and funding.
expected impact
Outcomes that translate into value
For you
Decide where and how to enter the sector by assessing opportunities, risks and positioning alternatives.
Navigate the institutional and industrial ecosystem by understanding procurement, access requirements, compliance and key stakeholders.
Assess investment and funding opportunities, including European and NATO instruments.
Structure decisions through an integrated perspective connecting geopolitics, markets, technology, regulation and capital.
For your organization
A Defense market-entry plan, including a positioning roadmap across the value chain.
A map of strategic partners across institutional and industrial ecosystems relevant to execution.
A funding plan, with relevant instruments identified and sequenced.
A simulated application to a European or NATO instrument, built around the real structure of a call.
Apply to Defense Sector: Innovation, Industry and Investment
Start your applicationCustomize this program for your team
Contact our Corporate Solutions team
international recognition
Rankings that reinforce our results.
Financial Times
Executive Education 2026 Worldwide
learning journey
Defense Sector Learning Journey
Over 34 hours, the program progresses through four complementary phases, from geopolitical and industrial context to innovation, funding and the development of a concrete Defense market-entry strategy.
– Understanding the Defense Sector and Geopolitical Context29 Oct · 4 Nov
Understand the new Defense economy, geopolitical context and the structure of the national, European and NATO ecosystem.
Sessions
- In person · Executive Keynote: The New Defense Economy (1h30)
- In person · Geopolitics for Business: Risks, Markets and Opportunities in Defense (3h)
- In person · Defense Lab: Challenge Presentation (1h30)
- Online · Defense Industry 2035: Growth Opportunities (1h30)
- Online · Global Defense Markets: Trends and Growth Dimensions (1h30)
– Industrial Structure and Market Dynamics5 · 11 · 12 Nov
Understand how to enter and operate in the Defense market, from business development and procurement to licensing, compliance and engagement with industry.
Sessions
- Online · Business Development in International Defense Markets (1h30)
- Online · Defense Procurement: Strategies for Accessing the Institutional Market (1h30)
- Online · Defense Lab: Touchpoint 1 (0h30)
- Online · Doing Business in Defense: Licensing, Security Clearance and Taxation (2h)
- Online · Success Stories from Industry: From Civilian Drones to UAVs (1h)
- Online · How Defense Market Changed: New Dynamics and Opportunities (1h30)
- Online · International Trade and Customs Compliance in Defense (1h30)
- Online · Defense Lab: Touchpoint 2 (0h30)
– Innovation and Dual-use Opportunities18 · 25 Nov
Explore emerging technologies, industrial conversion opportunities and innovation funding instruments relevant to the sector.
Sessions
- Online · Funding Defense Innovation: NATO, EU and Strategic Capital (1h30)
- Online · Defense Lab: Working Session (1h30)
- In person · The New Defense Industry and Dual Use (1h30)
- In person · Innovation Leadership: Disruptive Technologies for Defense (1h30)
– Investment, Funding and Execution25 · 26 Nov
Turn market insight into a strategy for entry, funding, partnerships and execution.
Sessions
- In person · Market Entry Strategy: Roadmap for the Defense Sector (1h30)
- In person · Funding Strategies for Defense Industry Companies (1h30)
- In person · Success Stories from Industry: Portuguese Companies Growing in the Defense Industry (1h30)
- In person · Business Opportunities in the Defense Industry (1h30)
- In person · Defense Lab: Final Presentation (1h30)
- In person · Closing Keynote: The Future of Defense and the Defense Industry (1h30)
how you will learn
Defense Lab: a challenge by NOS Security Technology
One challenge across all four phases
NOS Security Technology launches the challenge at the start of the program. Teams develop it progressively across all four phases through touchpoints and working sessions, culminating in a final presentation with NOS in attendance.
Market-entry roadmap
The final output includes a positioning roadmap across the value chain, with a decision between direct entry, subcontracting to a prime or joining a consortium.
Funding plan and strategic partners
Teams identify and sequence funding instruments and build a map of strategic, institutional and industrial partners.
EU or NATO application simulation
The work culminates in a simulated application to a European or NATO instrument, built around the real structure of a call.
faculty
Program direction
Researcher at the National Defence Institute, where previously served as Head of the Porto Delegation, and Coordinator of the Geopolitical Risk Observatory for Companies (ORGE) at Porto Business School. Also Professor and Researcher at Porto Business School and the Faculty of Economics of the University of Porto, as well as a European Union Observer for […]
featured guests
Perspectives from those who know the sector from within
Fernando Medina
Takes part in the opening Executive Keynote, dedicated to the New Defense Economy and the strategic context of a sector undergoing transformation. The session introduces the investment, industry and positioning dynamics reshaping the Defense ecosystem in Portugal, Europe and across the transatlantic space.
António Vitorino
Closes the program with the Closing Keynote The Future of Defense and the Defense Industry, looking ahead to the challenges and opportunities that will shape the sector’s evolution. A final reflection on geopolitical, industrial and economic transformations and their implications for companies, investors and decision-makers.
Lieutenant General Lemos Pires (DGPDN)
Takes part in the opening Executive Keynote, dedicated to the New Defense Economy, bringing the perspective of Portugal’s national defense policy on the evolving strategic context and sector priorities. As Director-General for National Defense Policy, he helps frame the geopolitical and security changes transforming the Defense ecosystem.
Ricardo Mendes
Shares the strategic transformation of TEKEVER, from civilian drones to the development of autonomous systems applied to Defense and Security. The session explores how technological innovation, operational experience and international growth have shaped the company’s evolution in a rapidly changing sector.
OTHER SPEAKERS
Experience across different areas of the Defense ecosystem
José Neves
AED Cluster Portugal
Pedro Rodrigues
AICEP Portugal Global
José Rijo
Abreu Advogados
Sofia Rijo
Abreu Advogados
Vadym Adamov
Victory Drones
Isabel Furtado
TMG Automotive
Marco Neves
Portugal Ventures
Ricardo Pinheiro Alves
idD Portugal Defense
INVESTMENT & TERMS
Prepare your application
Admission is subject to availability, so we recommend completing your application as early as possible.
- early bird 5% discountUp to 1 month before the program starts€1,852.50 Save €97.50
- last call Standard feeUp to 1 week before the program starts€1,950 Subject to availability
Admissions Team
Meet our Admissions Team
Clarify any questions, assess how the program fits your professional path, and learn more about the application process, calendar, investment and next steps.
defense sector
The next edition starts on 29 October. Your decision starts now.
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