On November 26, 2024, the Slovenian-French Defense Industry Day was held at the Grand Plaza Hotel in Ljubljana, organized by the SPIRIT Slovenia Public Agency, the Ministry of Economy, Tourism, and Sport, the Slovenian Defense Industry Cluster (GOIS), and the Defense Sector of the French Embassy in Austria. The event was intended to present the best practices and achievements of the defense industries of both countries and to promote cooperation and the development of new business and research opportunities.

Luka Radičević from the Institute of Economic Research attended the event with the aim of learning about current trends in the defense industry and identifying potential research challenges at the intersection of technological development, innovation, and the economy. Special attention was paid to areas with significant dual potential (i.e., the potential for both military and civilian applications), and the development of new technologies and products that could be used in the defense industry.

The event included an extensive program of B2B meetings, during which the IER representative held meetings with representatives of French companies Thales, MBDA, Cilas, and OCEA. Participation in the event contributed to a better understanding of industrial needs and development trends and provides a starting point for consideration of future research topics and possible forms of cooperation in areas with high added value.