Advancing Sustainable Defence Innovation at CapTech Materials & Structures

Last week, ECOBALLIFE brought sustainability and defence innovation together in Cádiz. Specifically, the project organised a dedicated workshop during the 64th CapTech Materials & Structures Meeting. The event, held on 10 June 2026, gathered key stakeholders from across Europe. Importantly, this CapTech meeting created a strong platform for collaboration. It connected research organisations, industry representatives, and defence stakeholders around shared challenges.

Workshop: Partners United for Sustainability

During the workshop, ECOBALLIFE partners actively contributed their expertise. Participants included TECNALIA, CITEVE, Leonardo, Everythink, and AITEX. In addition, the ADMIRABLE project joined the discussions. Together, they addressed one central ambition. They aim to integrate sustainability and circularity into future protection systems. At the same time, ADMIRABLE presented complementary developments. The project focuses on sustainable materials and manufacturing in naval defence applications.

Discussions on Circular Materials in Defence at CapTech

The workshop combined presentations with expert insights and an interactive session. As a result, participants engaged in dynamic and practical discussions. Above all, one challenge stood out clearly. Introducing recycled materials into defence systems requires maintaining strict performance standards. Therefore, experts explored how circular solutions can meet these demanding requirements. Moreover, they shared approaches to balance sustainability with functionality.

Insights Supporting Future Innovation

Thanks to strong participation, the discussions generated valuable insights. Consequently, both ECOBALLIFE and ADMIRABLE gained input for future developments. Furthermore, the workshop highlighted the importance of cross-project collaboration. Events like CapTech enable knowledge exchange and accelerate innovation. Finally, ECOBALLIFE continues advancing sustainable ballistic protection solutions. In parallel, it contributes to Europe’s transition towards greener defence technologies.

A sincere thank you goes to all contributors and organisers. In particular, appreciation goes to the European Defence Agency and the CapTech community.