Defence Tech startup ecosystem
We track 30 organisations in this sector across 6+ countries.
Showing 1–20 of 30Defence Tech
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ARX Robotics
ARX Robotics is a Munich-based defence technology company building autonomous mobile robotics and digitalisation platforms for European armed forces, founded by former German Bundeswehr officers. Its products include the Gereon RCS tracked reconnaissance robot, the Hector autonomous wheeled platform, and Mithra OS, a software system for modernising existing military vehicle fleets. The company positions itself around strengthening Europe's technological resilience and sovereignty in defence. In 2025 it expanded its Series A round to a total of 42 million euro, with backers including HV Capital, Omnes Capital, the NATO Innovation Fund, Project A and Speedinvest.
Astrolight
Builds laser optical communication terminals (ATLAS series) for secure space-to-ground, space-to-space and ship-to-ship data links. Selected for NATO's DIANA accelerator and works with the Lithuanian navy.
Comand AI
Comand AI is a Paris-based defence-tech startup founded in 2023 that builds AI software to support military command and decision-making. Its product, Prevail, helps command-centre officers plan and execute manoeuvres under time and resource constraints, using AI simulations and analysis of operational data to speed up planning. CEO and co-founder Loïc Mougeolle previously spent nearly a decade at Naval Group, and the team includes people from companies such as Palantir and OpenAI as well as the French armed forces. The company raised 8.5M euro in seed funding in December 2024 led by Eurazeo, and has worked with the French and German militaries.
Cybertech Europe 2026
The leading European edition of the Cybertech conference series, at La Nuvola Convention Center, Rome, gathering cyber industry leaders, enterprises, and policymakers. Relevant for security founders seeking enterprise and government buyers.
DefendEye
DefendEye is a Kraków-based deep-tech startup building fully autonomous, AI-powered tube-launched UAV systems for dual-use perimeter security and defence. Founded in 2023 by serial entrepreneur James Buchheim with a multinational team, its core product is a sub-250g drone stored in a sealed launch tube that deploys in under ten seconds via motion-triggered radar — with no trained pilot — climbs to altitude, performs AI human detection in milliseconds, and streams encrypted video to a cloud command centre before returning autonomously. The system is dual-use by design: civilian applications cover search-and-rescue and critical-infrastructure inspection, while security variants address perimeter breaches, border surveillance and active-shooter response. With an IP65 airframe, night-vision camera, onboard neural processor and optional Starlink connectivity, DefendEye targets NATO-facing procurement and is building an NDAA-compliant supply chain. It raised ~PLN 4.8M (~€1.1M) in a May 2025 seed round led by Polish deep-tech VC Hard2beat with Sunfish Partners, to finalise its commercial product and begin EU and US certification.
Florian Seibel
Florian Seibel is Co-founder & CEO of the dual-use drone maker Quantum Systems. A founder in the German startup ecosystem, Florian leads the dual-use drone maker Quantum Systems.
Frankenburg Technologies
Defence startup founded 2024 by ex-MoD secretary Kusti Salm, building low-cost, mass-manufacturable guided interceptor missiles; its Mark I achieved a live-fire drone intercept in Latvia. Raised EUR 30M Series A.
General Catalyst (Europe)
General Catalyst is a global venture capital firm that expanded aggressively into Europe through its London office. The firm invests across stages from seed to growth and has become one of the most active US-origin VCs in European tech, backing companies including Helsing, Parloa, Mistral AI, and PhysicsX. General Catalyst focuses on AI, defense tech, enterprise software, and climate, and manages over $25 billion in total assets.
GLOBSEC Tatra Summit 2026
Central European geopolitics-meets-technology summit in Bratislava organized by GLOBSEC, covering cybersecurity, digital sovereignty, energy transition, and CEE innovation policy. Draws diplomats, defense-tech founders, and security-policy researchers. By invitation and application.
Gundbert Scherf
Gundbert Scherf is Co-founder & Co-CEO of the defence-AI company Helsing. A founder in the German startup ecosystem, Gundbert leads the defence-AI company Helsing.
Helsing
Helsing is a defense technology company building AI software systems for democratic governments and armed forces in Europe. Its platform fuses data from radar, drones, optical and infrared sensors to provide real-time situational awareness and operational decision support. After major growth financing in 2025, Helsing expanded across core European defense programs and into autonomous systems, including the HX-2 platform.
Improbable
Improbable is a London-based technology company founded in 2012 that builds networked simulation and virtual world infrastructure. Originally known for SpatialOS, a distributed computing platform enabling massive-scale game worlds, the company pivoted toward defense and metaverse applications. Improbable raised over $600 million including a $502 million Series B led by SoftBank in 2017. Its defense division provides synthetic environments for military training and planning. The company also explored metaverse networks before refocusing on enterprise and government simulation use cases.
International Drone Show 2026
A professional drone-industry conference and exhibition at HCA Airport, organised by Denmark's robotics cluster Odense Robotics. Covers defence, legislation, and advanced air mobility — relevant for hardware and dual-use founders.
Kateryna Chernohorenko
Kateryna Chernohorenko served as Deputy Minister of Defence of Ukraine from 2023 to 2025, overseeing technology modernization and digital transformation within Ukraine's defense ministry during a period of active armed conflict. She is a prominent figure in Ukraine's defense-technology ecosystem and participates in events connecting military innovation with the broader tech industry and investment community.
Kongsberg Agenda 2026
An annual technology festival that takes over central Kongsberg with hundreds of free debates, exhibitions, and talks on technology and value creation, spanning space and defence tech.
Kyiv Miltech Conference 2026
Kyiv Miltech Conference is a Ukrainian defense-technology gathering that brings together military end-users, defense-tech startups, manufacturers, investors and policymakers to align frontline needs with industry capabilities and available funding. The 2026 edition features five themed tracks covering business, product development, AI applications, sales strategies and startup showcases.
Latitude59 2026
Kultuurikatel-hosted summit with 3,500+ attendees and 600+ investors. The Latitude59 Pitch Competition can reach EUR 1M in syndicate investment and the program heavily features digital-state and defense-tech themes.
Marathon Venture Capital
Marathon Venture Capital was founded in 2017 by George Tziralis and Panos Papadopoulos (co-founder of BugSense, acquired by Splunk) in Athens to back ambitious Greek and diaspora founders building global technology companies. Fund I reached €32M and Fund II expanded to €70M; Fund III closed at €75M in May 2025 (with €20M from EIF), bringing total AUM to approximately €175M. The fund leads seed rounds of €500K–€1M in sectors including cybersecurity, AI, defense tech, robotics, and energy. Notable portfolio companies include Hack The Box (cybersecurity training, $55M Series B led by Carlyle) and Augmenta (precision agriculture robotics, acquired by CNH Industrial for $110M).
Molfar Defence Technologies
Polish-Ukrainian defence startup developing tactical radar systems for detecting low-altitude, slow-moving UAVs at the frontline. Raised €1.5M from Front Ventures as part of a €2M round at a €15M valuation.
Nordic Baltic Security Summit 2026
A one-day summit focused on AI acceleration, digital dependency, and geopolitical risk, convening security leaders and tech vendors. A focused stage for security and defence founders selling into the Nordic-Baltic public and enterprise sector.
