GEA Digital joins EIT Digital Champions competition to drive innovation and AI in the Italian defence industry

GEA Digital, a leading Italian digital transformation and innovation consultancy, is sponsoring the 12th edition of the EIT Digital Champions competition, marking a significant new focus on scaleups developing artificial intelligence (AI) solutions in the defence sector in fields such as electronic warfare.

This partnership offers fast-growing European companies the chance to collaborate with GEA Digital on pioneering AI-driven defense applications.

GEA, with over 60 years of experience in management consulting and GEA Digital are leveraging their expertise to explore cutting-edge technologies that can enhance the operational capabilities of defense systems, in various field such as electronic warfare. 

The company is seeking scaleups working on AI solutions, such as autonomous drone identification, real-time threat detection, edge computing, and communication disruption techniques.

Andrea Teja Andrea Teja Andrea Teja, Head of GEA Digital, commented:

"The defence industry is technologically advanced and has AI capabilities. However, it often struggles to adopt open innovation approaches. Through this competition, we aim to bring the best AI solutions to the forefront, helping defense organizations understand the value of collaborating within a larger innovation ecosystem. The need for efficient and scalable technologies has never been more urgent in today’s complex geopolitical landscape."

The EIT Digital Champions competition is Europe’s top contest for deep tech startups. The 2025 edition will see finalists pitch their innovative solutions in January 2025 to a jury of international investors, with the winners receiving tailored support through EIT Digital’s renowned Growth Services programme. 

As part of GEA Digital’s sponsorship, selected scaleups will also gain exclusive access to one-on-one meetings with top Italian defense clients and industry leaders. 

Additionally, GEA Digital will offer the winners a basket of mentoring hours, providing strategic and digital transformation guidance to help scale-ups refine their technology and business approach.

Federico Menna Federico Menna Federico Menna, CEO of EIT Digital, added:

"We are thrilled to welcome GEA Digital as a sponsor in this year’s competition. Their deep expertise in the defense sector and commitment to fostering innovation will provide European scaleups with unique opportunities to bring their AI solutions to market."

"In the realm of digital transformation, GEA Digital navigates a dynamic landscape empowered by cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things (IoT), and immersive experiences such as virtual (VR), mixed (XR), and augmented reality (AR). At the heart of this innovation lies their vibrant ecosystem, strategically curated with agile partners and solution providers. This dynamic network ensures that GEA Digital stays ahead in a fast-evolving tech environment, continually adapting to the pulsating rhythm of progress.

GEA Digital’s sponsorship of the EIT Digital Champions competition reflects its broader mission to support the Italian defense industry during a critical time, where the need for technological efficiency is increasing as human resources within defense sectors decline. GEA Digital’s involvement is also linked to its open innovation approach, which aims to connect high-level scaleups with major defense clients, promoting cross-pollination between industries. 

Applications for the EIT Digital Champions competition are now open. For more information, please visit: www.eitdigital.eu/champions

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