The NATO Innovation Fund has declared its initial deep tech investments aimed at tackling defence, security, and resilience concerns. AI, robotics, new materials and manufacturing, and artificial intelligence (AI) will all benefit from these inaugural equity investments made by the €1 billion Fund. In order to further the Alliance’s technological sovereignty, the Fund is also investing to strengthen deep tech centres in areas where funding for early-stage firms is highly sought after. Through close collaboration with Allied governments, the NATO Innovation Fund facilitates the deployment of innovations in its portfolio by giving portfolio businesses access to and insights into defence, wider government, and commercial markets and prospects.
For the 1 billion people who make up the Alliance, a safe and prosperous future depends on funding and support for strategic technologies. We are pleased to announce that we have made investments in cutting-edge strategies that will help us overcome some of our biggest problems, spur economic expansion, and improve our countries’ security, defence, and resilience for future generations. Managing Partner of NATO Innovation Fund Andrea Traversone.
Assistant Secretary General for Innovation, Hybrid and Cyber David van Weel commented, “This is a tremendous milestone for the NATO Innovation Fund.” “The Fund is beginning to make a noticeable impact on our innovation ecosystems with these investments, offering expansion prospects to the most promising defence and dual-use businesses creating solutions to preserve the Alliance’s technological lead.”
Dr. Klaus Hommels, Chair of the NATO Innovation Fund, congratulated the investment team of NIF on attaining this important milestone. “NIF’s mission to advance defence, security, and resilience and promote the development of dual-use ecosystems across the NATO Alliance is exemplified by this initial portfolio of investments.”
The Fund focuses on AI and the production of innovative materials, with an emphasis on technological breakthroughs in Europe and the UK. Important investments include Space Forge for space-based semiconductor production, iCOMAT for advanced composites, Fractile for AI computing, and ARX Robotics for scalable robotic systems.
Venture capital fund managers that invest in early-stage deep tech with an emphasis on civilian, defence, security, and resilience markets are supported by the NATO Innovation Fund. With the goal of removing financial obstacles and promoting the expansion of deep tech businesses, target areas include Southern and Eastern Europe as well as the Nordics. The following funds are supported: Join Capital for industrial and enterprise tech; Alpine Space Ventures for space tech; OTB Ventures for spacetech, AI, and more; and Vsquared Ventures for AI, energy transition, and more.
