Europe’s security challenges are increasingly defined by technological capabilities, industrial capacity and access to critical resources. This is precisely where the Global Security and Innovation Summit (GSIS) comes in. On 9 and 10 December 2026, the international conference will bring together decision-makers from government, the armed forces, industry, academia and finance at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg to discuss the technological and economic foundations of Europe’s security and defence capabilities.
The GSIS deliberately takes a broad approach. Rather than focusing on individual crises or regional conflicts, it explores the capabilities Europe must build, finance and protect over the long term. Three key themes therefore sit at the heart of the programme: Advanced Technologies, Finance and Innovation, and Supply Chains and Resilience.
The Technologies Shaping the Next Era of Security
A central focus of this year’s programme is the technologies likely to define the strategic balance of the coming decades. These include quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, space applications, cyber capabilities and biotechnology.
Among those addressing the implications of the global race for technological leadership is Lord Sedwill, former National Security Adviser to the United Kingdom. Additional discussions will examine the security implications of quantum technologies, Europe’s space policy ambitions and the growing challenges of biosecurity.
Representatives from the European Space Agency (ESA), the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), the European Commission’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) and leading technology companies will bring political, scientific and industrial perspectives together in direct dialogue.
Defence Tech Needs More Than Good Ideas
Alongside the technological dimension, the GSIS addresses a question of increasing importance for European companies: how can new technologies be translated more rapidly into operational capabilities and viable business models?
This theme runs throughout the programme. Lieutenant General Michael Vetter of the German Federal Ministry of Defence and Marcus Wandt, ESA astronaut and now Chief Strategy Officer at Saab, will join representatives from government and industry to discuss how innovation cycles can be accelerated and emerging technologies brought into defence and security applications more quickly.
At the same time, greater attention is being paid to the financing of Europe’s defence technology sector. Representatives from the European Investment Fund and leading international financial institutions will explore how security-relevant technologies can be scaled and what framework conditions are required to attract greater levels of private capital into defence and security innovation.
Supply Security Becomes a Strategic Imperative
Technological strength alone is not enough. Recent years have demonstrated the vulnerability of supply chains and critical infrastructure.
For this reason, the second day of the conference focuses on resilience and supply security. Discussions will address energy security, the protection of critical infrastructure and the growing importance of critical raw materials for Europe’s industrial and defence capabilities. Securing supply chains for rare earths, battery materials and advanced technology components is increasingly becoming a geopolitical priority.
Participants from the business community, academia, and the armed forces are expected to attend the GSIS 2026 (Photo: © Hamburg Messe und Congress / Ibrahim Ot)
Hamburg as a Platform for Dialogue Between Security and Innovation
The conference is complemented by the Innovation Zone, where companies, technology providers and start-ups will showcase solutions in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum technologies, space and dual-use applications. New partner formats, including the Hamburg Dual-Use Forum, together with dedicated events on maritime security and cybersecurity, will create additional opportunities for engagement between industry, academia, investors and public-sector stakeholders.
With partners including BDSV, Bitkom, the German Maritime Centre, the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce and the US-based Special Competitive Studies Project (SCSP), the GSIS reinforces its ambition to bring together European and transatlantic perspectives.
As a result, Hamburg is increasingly establishing itself as a place where discussions extend beyond security policy alone, becoming a forum where the technological, industrial and economic foundations of Europe’s future security capabilities are actively shaped. For companies in the security and defence sector, investors and technology providers, this is the distinctive value of GSIS 2026: the conference views security not as an isolated policy challenge, but as the outcome of innovation, industrial strength and strategic collaboration.
