A London Startup Just Raised $40 Million to Build the Future of Drone Defense

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-17

Greenjets, a London-based aerospace technology company, just announced a $40 million Series A funding round. The round was led by Blossom Capital, with participation from the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) and the UK's National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF). Existing investors like Tanglin Ventures and NSFO Family Office also chipped in. This isn't just another funding round -- it's a signal that the defense tech landscape is shifting fast. ### The Backstory Founded in 2022 by Anmol Manohar and Dr. Guido Monterzino, Greenjets builds propulsion systems, aircraft platforms, and launch technologies for the next generation of aviation. The company's patented engine technology is designed to increase safety and reduce the certification burden for new aircraft. They've developed a range of propulsion architectures, from electric ducted fans to geared turbofan engines. Combined with advanced aircraft integration and low-cost manufacturing, these technologies make aircraft quieter, faster, and more efficient. ### Why NATO is Paying Attention The timing of this investment is no coincidence. The war in Ukraine has shown how quickly aviation is changing -- and how urgently Europe needs affordable defensive technologies. NATO's Innovation Fund put it bluntly: drones have become the defining weapon of modern conflict. Russia produced over 50,000 Shahed-class attack drones in 2025, up from 11,000 the year before. And these drones are getting faster, reaching speeds of 310 miles per hour (500 km/h). At those speeds, traditional propeller-based interceptors struggle to catch them. Turbojets can, but they take up to two minutes to spool up and have constrained supply chains. Greenjets fills that gap with engines and airframes designed for rapid deployment. ### What They're Building Greenjets' integrated portfolio spans three areas: - **Propulsion systems** for drones and aircraft - **Aircraft platforms** that integrate these engines - **Launch technologies** for deploying systems in the field All of these are built on a common technology stack, which the company says enables rapid iteration and production at scale. The company is already under contract across multiple UK and international programs, with technologies heading toward demonstration trials with the UK Ministry of Defence this year. ### Scaling Up Fast Greenjets has expanded its UK facilities from 12,000 to nearly 70,000 square feet -- that's about the size of a Walmart Supercenter. They're on track to grow from 160 to more than 250 employees, supporting the transition from development to full production. The company plans to deliver thousands of systems over the next 12 months. ### The Bigger Picture Patrick Schneider-Sikorsky, a partner at NIF, summed it up well: "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, without them having to solve propulsion independently." This is exactly the kind of Allied supply-chain technology that NATO's innovation arm was set up to back. For Greenjets, the $40 million isn't just about building better engines -- it's about reshaping how Europe defends itself in an era where drones are changing the rules of engagement.