NATO Innovation Fund (NIF)

🎉 Big news from ARX Robotics, launching a new product this week to radically modernise existing vehicle fleets. With their autonomous robotic systems already deployed on the frontlines in Ukraine, Arx is now releasing Mithra OS, a next-generation software solution, that transforms existing military vehicles into intelligent, interconnected autonomous units. We're excited to be supporting Arx as it enables the digitalisation of our fleets, and innovates to secure the future of NATO nations. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/dwrhrJwv

#DeepTech innovation is on the rise in the Baltics and we are excited to partner with BSV Ventures to help support emerging technologies across biotech, computing, space and AI - among other sectors. 🌍 The Baltic region has the talent and resources to contribute to a secure and resilient future for the Alliance and we are looking forward to working with 🧙♂️ Erik Bhullar Andrius Milinavicius and Sandra Golbreich to contribute towards that future. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/gmiaTUQq

🌌 We are excited to be joining Baillie Gifford in investing in TEKEVER's latest €70 million funding round. Tekever's AI-centric and hardware-enabled Unmanned Aerial Systems are future-proofing the defence, commercial intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance sectors. 🤝 We look forward to identifying pathways to deploy TEKEVER's cutting-edge technology in support of businesses and governments across the Alliance. Benjamin Balmforth and Patrick Schneider-Sikorsky share their insights into TEKEVER here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eBiJJBmD #innovation #deeptech #AI

From Space Forge manufacturing materials in space, to iCOMAT helping lighter, faster and more sustainable vehicles, and ARX Robotics enabling the deployment of scalable robotic systems on the front lines in Ukraine, we are excited about investing in cutting edge solutions for a secure and prosperous future across NATO countries. 👉 Read more about how #deeptech can be deployed to advance defence, security and resilience in Europe on WIRED: https://lnkd.in/gWhkV8B9

🌐 Portugal, Spain and the broader Southern European region are hubs to a vibrant, growing and creative #deeptech ecosystem. 📢 Today, we are excited to announce our investment in Faber alongside European Investment Fund (EIF) and Caixa Capital, SCR, S.A. to connect the region's most cutting-edge innovators with the capital and resources they need to scale their solutions. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/eiN8mu4M

📣 Big news today from our portfolio company Aquark Technologies, whose quantum sensing technology was successfully tested by the Royal Navy. Aquark’s novel method of constructing cold atom quantum sensors without magnetic fields enables them to reduce the size, weight, power consumption and cost of their sensors. This successful trial demonstrates that Aquark's innovation can unlock opportunities for the protection of critical infrastructure through precise signals for accurate positioning, navigation and timing. Maintaining our technological edge is key to advancing defence, security and resilience across the Alliance. We are excited to see how Aquark's cutting-edge technology can contribute to that mission. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/eNRFrXV3

🎉 Congratulations to iCOMAT - one of our portfolio companies - for being named as one of Bloomberg's 25 UK startups to watch for 2024. iCOMAT's breakthrough technology is changing the way we travel - reducing emissions and helping us go the distance faster and more sustainably on the ground, in the sky and in space. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/ea8jS35k

This week, startups, business leaders and investors gathered at the annual Sifted Summit to share insights about the innovation ecosystem. NATO Innovation Fund Vice Chair Fiona Murray spoke with John Thornhill about the growth of the defence, security and resilience ecosystem in Europe and the UK. Some key insights: 👉 The war in Ukraine has accelerated the deployment of technologies that were first developed by the commercial sector in defence. 👉 The momentum is tremendous. We have both the opportunity and the responsibility to build technologies that can secure future generations. 👉 Maintaining a technological edge is critical to our resilience and – ultimately - prosperity. We need to deploy capital for the rapid development and scaling of advanced technologies. This will enable the faster maturing of future-proofing technologies.

✅ Our first investment in a NATO DIANA cohort company is here. 🌌 We are excited to be leading Aquark Technologies' €5 Million seed round alongside Export and Investment Fund of Denmark, UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund and MBDA. GPS vulnerability could cause £1bn in losses per day, with GPS interference incidents increasing by 2,000 percent between 2018 and 2021. Aquark's novel method of constructing cold atom quantum sensors without magnetic fields can significantly reduce the size, weight, power consumption and cost of sensors. 👉 This innovation can play a critical role in safeguarding critical infrastructure – from communication, to navigation and finance, build resilient businesses and boost national security. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ghKDPVXD

✨ We are proud to co-lead Fractile's $15 million seed funding round alongside Kindred Capital VC and Oxford Science Enterprises, with participation from Inovia Capital and Cocoa 🍫, as well as angel investors. By combining memory and processing into a single component, Fractile's AI chips will be able to run state-of-the-art AI models up to 100x faster and 10x cheaper than existing hardware. 👉 Read more in this interview with CEO Walter Goodwin, published by Fortune: https://lnkd.in/esdzV-rr