Lockheed Martin Ventures Pours $100 Million into European Defense Startups

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-17

American VC firm Lockheed Martin Ventures is making a big push into Europe. The company plans to invest a portion of its $1 billion fund in promising DefenseTech companies across the continent. They're also opening a new office in London, with a goal of putting at least $100 million into UK and European startups. "We are reaching even deeper into the investing ecosystem, meeting our potential partners where they are," says Chris Moran, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Ventures. "Our presence will help us seize opportunities for investing earlier in the startup lifecycle, ensure technical interoperability with existing platforms, and better support our allied customers." ### Why Europe? Why Now? Lockheed Martin Ventures' move comes at a time when Europe's DefenseTech, dual-use, unmanned-systems, and sovereign-intelligence sectors are seeing a surge in financing. According to EU-Startups, nine relevant companies have raised over $1.2 billion combined. That includes a massive $1.1 billion Series D round for Quantum Systems, plus another $100 million from other disclosed rounds. UK-based startups like London's SatVu and Occam Industries, and Bristol's Uplift360 are part of this pipeline. That makes the UK a natural hub for Lockheed Martin's European expansion. ### A Bigger Fund, A Bigger Mission This isn't a small experiment. In April, Lockheed Martin boosted its investment capacity from $400 million to $1 billion — the largest increase in the fund's history. Now, they're using a slice of that to accelerate new technologies into DefenseTech, with an eye on strengthening the transatlantic defense industrial base. Dan Tenney, senior vice president of Global Business Development and Strategy, puts it this way: "We are looking to invest in technologies that complement the company's national security capabilities and help advance solutions to meet current and future customer mission needs, while further strengthening the transatlantic defense industrial base. We expect our investment strategy to evolve as technologies emerge and the startup environment matures in markets where we do business around the world." ### What Lockheed Martin Ventures Brings to the Table Founded in 2007 with an initial $100 million, Lockheed Martin Ventures is the investment arm of the aerospace and defense giant. To date, they've invested over $500 million in more than 120 companies. Over the past two years alone, they added 25 new companies to their portfolio. But it's not just about the money. Portfolio companies get access to Lockheed Martin's engineering talent, cutting-edge technologies, research facilities, and deep business expertise. The firm has already matured 60 companies into full suppliers. ### The Bottom Line Lockheed Martin Ventures' European expansion is a clear signal: DefenseTech is heating up, and the US is looking across the Atlantic for the next big thing. For European startups in this space, this could mean a massive influx of capital, mentorship, and market access. The firm has already invested in several European companies, though they haven't disclosed the full list publicly. If you're building in DefenseTech, dual-use, or sovereign intelligence, this might be the moment to pay attention. The door is open, and Lockheed Martin is ready to invest.