Network
Contact with people in the armed forces, in companies and in research.
STAND
Student Tech Alliance for New Defence
Europe’s security needs a new generation of engineers.
About us
We want to make students a driving force in European defence and security innovation.
An independent student association starting at DTU. We bring technical students together with the armed forces, industry and research, because defence problems cut across software, electronics, mechanics, materials, energy and construction. Much of what students learn can be used in both civilian and defence settings.
Meet the teamWhy now
Europe has to strengthen its defence, fast.
The war in Ukraine has shown that the pace of innovation can be decisive. Those who can innovate quickly gain an edge.
Denmark now spends more than 3% of GDP on defence, but that money only becomes capability if there are engineers to put it to work. The Danish Society of Engineers (IDA) expects a shortage of 7,700 STEM graduates by 2030, so the armed forces will have to compete for them with every other industry.
Many Danish engineering students want to contribute to defence, but have no way in. People choose their industry while they study, and many leave DTU without ever having considered defence. We are building that way in.
Sources: Danish Ministry of Defence (Feb 2025), IDA (May 2025).
What you get
Real problems
Challenges from the people who will use the solutions.
Testing and facilities
Access to workshops and test environments when the project needs it.
Thesis and career
Theses with real problem owners and paths to a job or a startup.
How we work
Talks
Talks from the armed forces, companies and startups on current needs and where students’ skills can be used. Open to all students.
Hackathons
Our own are small: one weekend, one problem owner and one real problem, with feedback from the problem owner along the way. For the larger ones in Denmark and Europe, we prepare teams, and we co-organise when a partner hosts.
Project teams
Teams that want to go further after a hackathon keep working with the problem owner, towards testing, a thesis or a startup.
We create a clear way in and help teams and students move on to European hackathons, courses, theses, research, companies and startups.
Coming up
Introduction to the Modern Battlefield
How modern warfare is evolving, what the pace of innovation in Ukraine shows, and where engineering students can contribute.
Digital Tech Summit
We will be there to meet students and partners.
European Defence Tech Hackathon
We engage students and take part in the event.
Nordic5Tech Drone Hackathon
We support DTU’s participation with recruitment, communication and team formation.
For partners
The armed forces, public authorities, companies and research groups get access to motivated technical students and a fast way to test ideas. Set a challenge for a hackathon, give a talk, open your facilities, or find thesis students and project teams. You can also support our work as a sponsor, financially or with equipment.
Contact usResponsibility
Defence work depends on trust. We are student-run and independent, not part of DTU, and we only work on open challenges. Security, export control and any access requirements are clarified with DTU’s responsible units and the individual partner before each project. Our board, leadership and organisers are citizens of an EU or NATO country, and we are open about who we work with.
Be part of it
Be the first to hear about talks and hackathons.