NATO-INNOVATION-FUND
2.7.2024 13:06:27 CEST | Business Wire | Press release
The European Investment Fund (EIF) and the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cooperate in supporting the long-term growth of the defence, security, and resilience sectors across Europe. The EIF is part of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group and the NIF is a standalone venture-capital fund backed by 24 NATO countries.
The MoU aims to encourage more private-capital funds to become active investors in technology sectors associated with defence and security, enabling EU companies to raise equity funding from a broader range of sources. The partnership reflects the shared interest of the NIF and EIF in establishing a framework to support start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and midcaps, as well as in enhancing the whole ecosystem by involving all the main stakeholders.
"By facilitating regular dialogue and knowledge sharing, the EIF and NIF will ensure a cohesive approach to strengthening the investment ecosystem for defence, security and resilience,” said Marjut Falkstedt, chief executive of the EIF. “This will benefit SMEs, midcaps, and the broader European innovation landscape."
The MoU also outlines plans for EIF-NIF cooperation on ad-hoc activities to share knowledge and raise awareness about the potential of investments in defence and security. This will help foster a comprehensive investment ecosystem, ensure effective outreach to private-capital funds, support companies in their investment plans and raise awareness of the investment opportunities in the defence, security, and resilience sectors among limited partners.
The collaboration with the NIF also is in line with the EIB Group's Security and Defence Action Plan, which is expected to support the effort primarily through the EIB's venture-debt product designed to address the funding needs of innovative companies, and which may complement EIF and NIF venture capital and private-equity funding in some cases. The signatories will also exchange information with the European Commission in areas where its potential involvement may prove beneficial for the purposes of the MoU.
“There is great momentum in deep tech that is propelling innovations to help strengthen European defence, security and resilience,” said Andrea Traversone, Managing Partner, NATO Innovation Fund. “We are excited to be collaborating with the EIF, the EIB Group and the Commission to unlock investment opportunities for European businesses, advance capacity building for dual-use innovation, and share best practices across investors, innovators and government.”
The collaboration between EIF and NIF will also focus on the design of new financial products to cater for companies’ needs. The strategic alliance between the EIF and NIF represents a significant step forward in strengthening Europe's defence and security capabilities, unlocking new avenues for private investment, and driving innovation in these vital sectors.
About the European Investment Bank and European Investment Fund:
The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by its member states. It supports sound investments that contribute to EU policy objectives.
Financing for Europe’s security and defence industry is among the EIB Group’s strategic priorities. We provide a comprehensive range of financial support and solutions designed to meet the demands of companies and public sector entities in the security and defence sector, regardless of their size. From reconnaissance and surveillance, spectrum protection and control, to cybersecurity solutions, infrastructure and military mobility, our financing solutions are designed to bolster projects that keep Europe safe, resilient, and innovative.
The European Investment Fund (EIF) is part of the European Investment Bank Group. Its central mission is to support Europe's micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) by helping them to access finance. The EIF designs and develops venture and growth capital, guarantees and microfinance instruments which specifically target this market segment. In this role, the EIF fosters EU objectives in support of innovation, research and development, entrepreneurship, growth and employment.
About the NATO Innovation Fund:
The NATO Innovation Fund is a venture capital fund, backed by 24 NATO Allies, that deploys more than €1 billion in deep tech to address challenges in defence, security, and resilience. The fund invests independently, with 24 nations supporting its portfolio’s success and helping provide deep tech entrepreneurs with access to both commercial and government markets.
Participating NATO Allies are: Belgium; Bulgaria; Czechia; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Slovakia; Spain; Sweden; Türkiye; United Kingdom
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240702326925/en/
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Enry’s Island Unveils “Enry’s Island Adventures”: Venture Capital Becomes a Videogame and Launches the “Strap” Movement on Kickstarter3.4.2026 09:47:00 CEST | Press release
Gaming, finance, and lifestyle merge to democratize the startup ecosystem: Enry’s Island opens 2026 applications for game development studios seeking more than just capital. Enry’s Island SpA (WBAG: EIOS), the world’s first publicly traded Venture Builder, today announced the upcoming Kickstarter launch of Enry’s Island Adventures (EIA), developed by its New York-based portfolio company, Enry’s Island Adventures LLC. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260402548535/en/ The game is designed to make venture capital accessible to new generations, transforming startup creation into an engaging and social gaming experience. After three years of R&D, EIA introduces a "bleisure" model (business + leisure): players learn to launch and manage startups through gameplay that includes real business KPIs, a customizable and evolving personal island, synchronous and asynchronous multiplayer modes, social events, and community-d
SES Announces Results of the Annual General Meeting2.4.2026 16:49:00 CEST | Press release
SES (the “Company”) held the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) of Shareholders today in Betzdorf, Luxembourg. Following the recommendations made by the Board of Directors of SES, the shareholders have voted in favor of all resolutions, including the Company’s 2025 annual accounts and the proposed annual dividend of EUR 0.50 per A-share (EUR 0.20 per B-share). The total dividend amount comprises the interim dividend of EUR 0.25 per A-share (EUR 0.10 per B-share), which has already been paid to shareholders on October 16, 2025. The final dividend of EUR 0.25 per A-share (EUR 0.10 per B-share) will be paid to shareholders on April 16, 2026. “I would like to sincerely thank our shareholders for their active engagement, visionary support and continued confidence in SES’ strategy,” said Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES. “The outcomes of today’s AGM underscore our shared commitment to a bold multi-orbit approach, with Medium Earth Orbit as the strategic backbone of a dynamically evolving global interco
Andersen Consulting styrker sine kompetencer med tilføjelsen af Lukkap2.4.2026 16:31:00 CEST | Pressemeddelelse
Andersen Consulting tilføjer samarbejdspartneren Lukkap, et konsulenthus med fokus på oplevelsesdrevne kompetencer, der er tilpasset kundernes skiftende behov inden for transformation af medarbejdere, kunder og det digitale område. Lukkap, der blev stiftet i 2009 og har hovedsæde i Spanien, leverer integrerede løsninger, der hjælper organisationer med at transformere, hvordan de betjener kunder, engagerer medarbejdere og frigør værdi gennem adfærdsindsigt og dataanalyse. Virksomhedens tværfaglige tilgang spænder over nytænkning af kunderejsen, effektive programmer for medarbejderoplevelser, talent- og ledelsesudvikling, prædiktiv analyse samt omfattende outplacement- og transitionsydelser. Lukkap arbejder på tværs af sektorer — herunder sundhedsvæsen, medicinalindustri, forbrugsgoder, detailhandel, finans og bankvæsen — for at opbygge menneskecentrerede strategier, der skaber målbare forretningsresultater. "Ved at kombinere vores erfaringsdrevne metode med Andersen Consultings globale
Forrester: Three Years Into GenAI, Enterprises Are Still Chasing Its True Transformative Value2.4.2026 16:00:00 CEST | Press release
Low AI fluency, uneven adoption, and marginal productivity gains are limiting enterprise-scale impact According to Forrester’s (Nasdaq: FORR) latest report, Accelerate Your AI Voyage, most enterprises are struggling to turn growing AI adoption and investment into measurable business impact. One of the key factors holding businesses back is low artificial intelligence quotient (AIQ) — Forrester’s measure of AI aptitude — with many employees lacking a clear understanding of how to use AI. Other barriers include an overemphasis on productivity-focused use cases, difficulty measuring impact, and siloed adoption within individual functions. While these challenges can leave firms frozen in doubt or indecision, the wait-and-see approach to AI adoption is no longer viable. To unlock AI’s full potential, organizations need to focus on four key areas: Define the business outcomes and success metrics for what they want AI to achieve; identify specific use cases for AI deployment aligned to those
The LYCRA Company Announces Strategic Partnership on Renewable LYCRA® Fiber2.4.2026 15:00:00 CEST | Press release
Agreement with Texhong Advances Sustainable Fiber Applications The LYCRA Company, a global leader in innovative and sustainable fiber solutions for the apparel and personal care industries, today announced the signing of a strategic partnership agreement with Texhong International Group Limited (“Texhong”), one of the world’s largest suppliers of core-spun cotton textiles. Under the agreement, Texhong will exclusively partner with The LYCRA Company to bring Renewable LYCRA® fiber made with 30 percent plant-based content* to China’s core-spun yarn sector. This collaboration aims to accelerate the adoption of bio-derived spandex across the global apparel and textile industry. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260402505834/en/ The LYCRA Company announced a strategic partnership with Texhong International Group for renewable LYCRA® fiber. Pictured at the signing ceremony held in Shanghai (left to right): Jason Wang,
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom
