This London Startup Just Raised $40M to Build Fighter Jet Engines for Drones

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Greenjets, a London-based aerospace tech company, just raised $40M in Series A funding with backing from NATO. Here's how their engine tech is changing drone warfare.

Greenjets, a London-based aerospace technology company developing propulsion systems, aircraft platforms and launch technologies for the next generation of aviation, today announced a $40 million Series A funding round. The round was led by Blossom Capital, with participation from the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), the National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF), and existing investors including Tanglin Ventures, NSFO Family Office and others. ### The Bigger Picture: Why This Matters Now Here's the thing about modern warfare: it's not just about big missiles and fighter jets anymore. Drones have become the defining weapon of recent conflicts. Russia, for instance, produced over 50,000 Shahed-class attack drones in 2025 alone, up from 11,000 the year before. That's a massive leap. And these aren't the slow, buzzing toys you might imagine. Newer variants are hitting speeds of around 310 miles per hour. At those speeds, traditional propeller-based interceptors just can't keep up. Turbojets can, but they take up to two minutes to spool up and have supply chain issues. Greenjets is stepping into that gap. ### What Greenjets Actually Does Anmol Manohar and Dr. Guido Monterzino, the CEO and CTO of Greenjets, said in a joint statement: "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." Founded in 2022 by Manohar and Dr. Monterzino, Greenjets claims that its patented engine technology increases aircraft safety and reduces the certification burden. The company has developed proprietary propulsion architectures spanning electric ducted fans through to geared turbofan engines. Combined with advanced aircraft integration and low-cost manufacturing, these technologies enable aircraft that are quieter, faster, more efficient and better suited to the demands of modern aerospace. ### The Tech That Makes It Different According to the company, recent conflicts have demonstrated how rapidly aviation is changing, and how urgently Europe needs affordable technologies that can protect people, critical infrastructure and national resilience. Greenjets claims that its technologies are helping address that challenge, applying the same advances in propulsion, aircraft integration and manufacturing that underpin a wider aerospace portfolio. Its integrated portfolio spans propulsion systems, aircraft platforms and launch technologies, all built on a common technology stack. As per the company, this enables rapid iteration, production at scale and deployment across multiple aerospace applications. ### The NATO Backing and What It Means Patrick Schneider-Sikorsky, Partner at NIF, commented: "The speed at which the defence 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, without them having to solve propulsion independently." This is a big deal. The NATO Innovation Fund doesn't back just anyone. They're specifically looking for technologies that strengthen allied supply chains. Greenjets fits that bill perfectly. ### What's Next for Greenjets The company is under contract across multiple UK and international programmes, with technologies progressing towards demonstration trials with the UK MOD and partners this year. Greenjets has expanded its UK facilities from 12,000 to nearly 70,000 square feet, and is on track to grow from 160 to more than 250 people, supporting the transition from development to production. The company plans to use this funding to accelerate its transition from development to production, supporting the delivery of thousands of systems over the next 12 months. Alongside scaling production, the investment will accelerate development across its propulsion and AI capabilities. ### The Takeaway We're watching a fundamental shift in aerospace and defense. The days of slow, expensive, one-size-fits-all solutions are fading. What Greenjets is building is faster, cheaper, and more adaptable. And with $40 million in fresh funding and NATO's backing, they're positioned to be a major player in the next generation of aviation.

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