TLDR:
- NATO’s €1 billion venture capital fund makes first investments in four deep tech startups.
- The fund aims to strengthen the alliance’s technological edge and defense capabilities.
NATO’s Innovation Fund (NIF) has invested in ARX Robotics, Fractile AI, iCOMAT, and Space Forge, along with supporting various VC funds investing in cutting-edge technology with military potential. The fund, established last year and backed by 24 alliance member states, focuses on emerging technologies that can enhance defense and resilience. NIF also aims to support Western deep tech startups to prevent them from seeking funding in Beijing, ensuring European ownership in growth-stage companies. Former NATO Assistant Secretary General, Giedrimas Jeglinskas, believes the fund’s success will be determined in the next decade by the integration of its investments into allies’ defense capabilities.
NATO also plans to expand cooperation with Ukraine on defense technology and develop new tech for their Arctic presence.
