This British Startup Just Raised $40M to Solve a Critical Defense Problem

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-17

A London-based aerospace technology company just closed a massive funding round, and it's not your typical startup story. Greenjets, which builds propulsion systems, aircraft platforms, and launch technologies for next-gen aviation, announced a $40 million (€35 million) Series A investment today. ### Who's Backing Them? The round was led by Blossom Capital, with some serious heavyweight participants: the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), the UK's National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF), and existing investors like Tanglin Ventures and NSFO Family Office. That's a who's who of defense and security-focused capital. ### Why This Matters Now Anmol Manohar and Dr. Guido Monterzino, the CEO and CTO, put it plainly: "When we founded Greenjets, our ambition was to develop the technologies that would shape the future of aviation. The conflict in Ukraine has reinforced just how important those same technologies are in protecting lives, strengthening Europe's resilience and enabling the future of flight." They're not wrong. Recent conflicts have shown how fast aviation is changing, and how urgently Europe needs affordable tech to protect people, infrastructure, and national security. Greenjets is positioning itself right in the middle of that need. ### What Makes Their Tech Different? Founded in 2022, Greenjets claims its patented engine tech boosts aircraft safety and cuts certification headaches. Their propulsion portfolio runs the gamut from electric ducted fans to geared turbofan engines. When you combine that with advanced aircraft integration and low-cost manufacturing, you get aircraft that are quieter, faster, and more efficient. Here's the kicker: their integrated portfolio spans propulsion systems, aircraft platforms, and launch technologies, all built on a common tech stack. That means they can iterate fast, scale production, and deploy across multiple aerospace applications. ### The Drone Problem They're Solving The NATO Innovation Fund dropped some sobering stats: Russia produced over 50,000 Shahed-class attack drones in 2025, up from 11,000 in 2024. And these aren't slow-moving targets anymore. Newer Shahed variants can hit speeds of 310 miles per hour (500 km/h). At those speeds, propeller-based interceptors can't keep up. Turbojets can, but they take up to two minutes to spool up and have supply chain issues. Greenjets provides the engines and airframes to close that gap. Patrick Schneider-Sikorsky, Partner at NIF, summed it up: "The speed at which the defense and security drone industry is evolving means that propulsion is the constraint that determines whether an interceptor can close the gap on a 310 mph target or vice versa. Greenjets is addressing this at the engine and airframe level, meaningfully improving the performance of UAS and CUAS companies." ### Scaling Up Fast Greenjets is already under contract across multiple UK and international programs, with technologies heading toward demonstration trials with the UK MOD and partners this year. They've expanded their UK facilities from 12,000 to nearly 70,000 square feet and plan to grow from 160 to over 250 employees. The company will use this funding to accelerate the shift from development to production, aiming to deliver thousands of systems over the next 12 months. Alongside scaling, the investment will push forward development across their propulsion and AI capabilities. This isn't just another funding round. It's a signal that defense tech is evolving fast, and startups are stepping up to fill critical gaps.