Eager Enterprise Companions, a number one VC agency based mostly in Amsterdam, has introduced plans to lift a €125 million fund devoted to defence and safety know-how startups in Europe from seed to Collection B.
This fund would be the first of its form within the Benelux area and goals to develop into one of many largest defence tech funding funds in Europe. The aim is to help 20 to 25 startups from the seed stage to Collection B, enabling the event of revolutionary options to handle urgent geopolitical and safety challenges.
“The shifting geopolitical panorama has created a important want for Europe to develop into extra self-reliant in defence and safety. There’s a actual alternative to construct a stronger European defence business,” says Alexander Ribbink, associate at Eager Enterprise Companions. “We’re satisfied that entrepreneurs and enterprise capital can strongly contribute to the security of Europe. They’re well-positioned to construct and scale the revolutionary and cost-efficient options we want. Enterprise capital is important to help and gasoline entrepreneurship within the European defence business, which could have lasting advantages far past the defence sector itself.”
Eager Enterprise Companions was based in 2016, with a portfolio made up of investments in firms like EclecticIQ, Perciv.AI, and Avalor AI. The enterprise capital agency additionally advantages from an advisory board composed of navy, political, and coverage consultants, reinforcing its strategic imaginative and prescient.
The brand new fund will concentrate on fostering revolutionary, dual-purpose applied sciences in European NATO nations, aligning carefully with the European Defence Fund and NATO methods.
Europe faces mounting strategic challenges, together with the warfare in Ukraine, border threats, and rising tensions with China. NATO Secretary-Basic Mark Rutte has not too long ago highlighted the necessity for Europe to mentally and bodily put together for potential conflicts.
Coupled with scrutiny over defence underspending, Eager argues that these elements underscore the urgency of constructing a strong, self-reliant, and sustainable European defence tech ecosystem.
The defence business is present process a big transformation, shifting from complicated, low-volume techniques to options that prioritise software program, scalability, and cost-effectiveness. This evolution creates a possibility for startups to guide innovation in “dual-use” applied sciences, serving each navy and civilian functions.
These embrace drones and radar techniques, which might additionally help catastrophe response or environmental monitoring.
Entrepreneurship and enterprise capital may be essential in constructing a scalable defence ecosystem, providing cost-effective and revolutionary options typically neglected by bigger, extra established defence firms. The European defence sector has skilled speedy progress, with over 100 startups exiting the market since 2017, in line with Eager.
With this new fund, Eager Enterprise Companions goals to supply the monetary backing and strategic help essential to create a stronger, extra resilient European defence ecosystem.