Technology Readiness Levels: TRL10 Framework

Historical Genesis (NASA → DoD → EU)

Initially developed by NASA to assess the maturity of space technologies and reduce mission risk, the Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) scale quickly proved its strategic value. It was subsequently adopted and adapted by defense organizations such as the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to standardize acquisition milestones. Over time, it became a reference framework for European research and innovation programs, aligning pre-industrial validation with deployment strategies.

As a result, the TRL framework is now embedded in sovereign programs where reliability, auditability, and interoperability are non-negotiable.

⧉ Beyond TRL — Comparative Readiness Scales

Weak Signals — Early Indicators

Standards & Governance

Research Frontiers — Beyond TRL 9?

Some research forums suggest extending the TRL concept toward sustainability and resilience readiness. Proposals include:

• TRL 10 — Long-term resilience, lifecycle maintenance, and sustainability assurance.
• Ethical TRL — Incorporating ethical and regulatory compliance in readiness assessment.
• Digital TRL — Adaptations for AI, quantum computing, and zero-trust cybersecurity environments.

All About — The Future of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 10

While the official TRL framework ends at level 9, some research communities and defense innovation bodies have begun exploring the concept of a TRL 10. This extension aims to address domains beyond operational proof, emphasizing resilience, lifecycle assurance, and sovereign trust.

• Long-Term Resilience: Ensures that technology can withstand decades of use, evolving threats, and environmental pressures without critical failure.
• Lifecycle Security: Covers supply chain integrity, maintenance assurance, and update reliability throughout the entire operational life of the system.
• Ethical & Regulatory Alignment: Integrates compliance with cybersecurity acts such as the EU NIS2 Directive and the EU Cyber Resilience Act.
• Sovereign Trust Layer: Adds validation that systems remain independent of foreign certification monopolies, ensuring autonomy in defense and critical infrastructure.

For context, see the internationally recognized ISO 16290:2013 — Space systems — Definition of Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs), which remains the reference for TRL 1–9, and evolving EU policy frameworks such as Horizon Europe Calls where TRL milestones are mandatory for project funding.

Strategic Outlook

The TRL framework will remain central as emerging fields (AI, quantum computing, edge security) require structured validation before sovereign adoption. Future sovereign strategies should extend TRL frameworks to include ethical and regulatory compliance dimensions.

Case Study — From TRL 5 to TRL 8 in European Cybersecurity

A concrete example of TRL progression can be found in the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC) programs under Horizon Europe. In 2023–2024, the SPARTA Next Generation Intrusion Detection Protocol advanced from TRL 5 (component validation in a relevant environment) to TRL 8 (system completed and qualified in an operational setting).

• TRL 5 (2023): Protocol validated in controlled environments simulating cross-border cyberattacks.
• TRL 6–7 (2024): Field demonstrations across EU research testbeds, including France and Spain.
• TRL 8 (2025): Integration in critical infrastructure pilots (energy and transport), validated under operational cybersecurity stress tests.

Official references:
– European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC)
– CORDIS — EU R&D Projects Database

Freemindtronic and TRL 10 — From R&D to Sovereign Solutions

Freemindtronic^® applies the Technology Readiness Levels framework in all its R&D activities — from concept and design to manufacturing and deployment.
Unlike most private actors, Freemindtronic extends the model up to TRL 10, validating not only functional maturity but also:

• Cyber safety — ensuring resilience of hardware and critical infrastructures against failures and external stressors.
• Cybersecurity — hardware-based zero-trust architectures, counter-espionage resilience systems, and secure-by-design NFC encryption devices.
• Sovereign trust — independence from foreign certification monopolies and compliance with EU strategic autonomy policies.

📩 To explore Freemindtronic’s sovereign cybersecurity and safety solutions, contact us directly.

TRL 10 in Practice — Freemindtronic Sovereign Proof

A unique and verifiable example of TRL 10 applied in sovereign R&D comes from Freemindtronic®.

• EviKey NFC (2010) — the world’s first contactless secure USB key, designed to resist cyberattacks and physical tampering.
• PassCypher NFC HSM (2021) — a sovereign offline password and secret manager stored in tamper-proof NFC hardware.
• DataSielder NFC HSM (2021) — an offline hardware encryption/decryption solution ensuring zero cloud or telemetry dependency.

What makes them remarkable:

• 15+ years of operation with zero security incidents (EviKey NFC).
• No failures or returns (zero-SAV) across deployments worldwide.
• No vulnerabilities, no CVEs, no online complaints — a rare achievement in cybersecurity hardware.
• Sovereign lifecycle control: hardware, firmware, and validation without reliance on foreign certification chains.

What About Your TRL?

At what TRL is your current project? Select the stage that best matches your work: