TALOS 26 Challenge
Protecting Harbour Basins Against Underwater Micro-Drones and Divers
Through the TALOS 26 Challenge, TechHUB SVI Nord invites companies and research organizations to develop innovative solutions for the underwater protection of harbor basins and to validate them through a structured challenge and evaluation program.
The Scenario
Harbour basins are increasingly exposed to underwater threats, particularly from unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs), micro-drones and unauthorized divers. Existing security systems often face technical and operational limitations in effectively addressing these risks.
The organisers of the TALOS 26 Challenge are therefore seeking innovative technological solutions that enable reliable, scalable and operationally viable protection of harbour facilities.
The Challenge
Objective
We are looking for innovative technologies that address the detection, classification and/or countering of underwater threats and can be realised as an operational technology demonstrator.
Submitted solutions should have a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 5 to 6, demonstrating proven functionality and suitability for testing under realistic conditions.
A mandatory participation requirement is the ability to provide a functional technology demonstrator by 1 October 2026.
Challenge Format: Reverse Pitch
As part of the Reverse Pitch, the challenge sponsor outlines its specific operational needs in a written challenge statement. Companies and research institutions submit targeted solution concepts in the form of project proposals. An expert panel evaluates the submissions and selects the most promising approaches to demonstrate their technologies under real-world conditions. The panel’s decision is final and binding, and no appeals process is available.
Value Proposition & Strategic Focus
The winning team of the challenge will be granted the exclusive opportunity to test its technology demonstrator under real-world conditions in the Port of Hamburg, providing unique access to a security-critical operational testing environment.
In addition, all finalists will benefit from a range of further advantages. The challenge will receive dedicated media coverage, giving participants and their solutions public visibility in a highly relevant technology domain. Direct engagement with representatives of the organizing entities will also provide valuable insights into real-world operational requirements and user needs.
Furthermore, participation offers the opportunity to validate technologies under realistic deployment conditions, enabling participants to advance the maturity of their solutions and accelerate their path toward operational readiness.
Areas of Interest
Solution concepts may address one or more of the following topics:
- Underwater detection systems, including sonar, optical and electro-optical sensors
- AI-supported methods for detection, discrimination, classification and identification of objects and movement patterns
- Autonomous countermeasure and barrier systems
- Integration into existing commercial harbour infrastructure
- Dual-use technologies with civilian applications, such as the protection of critical infrastructure on land and at sea
Evaluation Criteria
The assessment of solution concepts submitted to the TechHUB SVI Nord Challenge TALOS 26 is based on two qualitative criteria:
1. Degree of Innovation
This criterion evaluates the extent to which the proposed solution advances beyond the current state of the art, for example through novel methodologies, technologies, or operational principles that create new practical capabilities or significantly outperform existing approaches.
The assessment considers both the originality of the concept and its potential to open up new avenues for thinking and action in the field of electronic effects and security-related operations.
2. Operational Value
The military and operational value of a solution is assessed based on how effectively and concretely it contributes to the protection of port infrastructure and, consequently, to the operational readiness of friendly systems and assets.
The evaluation focuses on whether the solution offers a measurable advantage in realistic operational scenarios and meets the requirements of military environments.
Particular consideration is given to:
- The number of operator actions required
- The level of training necessary for personnel
- The robustness of the human-machine interface under stressful conditions
- The time required from system startup to operational readiness
Where full compliance with these requirements has not yet been achieved in Phase 1, the evaluation will consider whether a credible development and implementation plan for Phase 2 is presented, or whether other factors indicate significant future military and operational value.
Target Audience
The TALOS 26 Challenge is open to:
- Industry
- Start-ups
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
- Large companies
- Research and Academia
- Universities
- Research institutes
- Non-university research organisations
We particularly welcome participants working in the fields of:
- Sensors and sensing technologies
- Robotics and autonomous systems
- Artificial intelligence
- Maritime security technologies
Consortia and collaborative partnerships are strongly encouraged.
The Timeline
| Phase | Activity | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Call for Concepts | Publication and submission of concept papers | 15–26 June 2026 |
| Evaluation & Pre-Selection | Review by the expert jury | 29 June–17 July 2026 |
| Q&A Sessions | Clarification and feedback discussions | 20–24 July 2026 |
| Development Phase | Further development of concepts with jury support | 27 July–23 October 2026 |
| Setup Days | Marine Arsenal Kiel | 26–30 October 2026 |
| Final Demonstration | Validation of prototypes under realistic operational conditions | 09–13 November 2026 |
| Award Ceremony | Selection of the winning team | 12 November 2026 |
Challenge Specification (Download):
Contact
Marcia Mimura
Head of the Coordination Office
TechHUB SVI Nord
+49 431 / 66666-569
mimura@wtsh.de
Ole Winterberg
Head of Technology Projects
TechHUB SVI Nord
+49 431 / 66666-869
winterberg@wtsh.de
Cooperation partners
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