NATO

Innovation Fund

Investing EUR 1 billion in deep tech to secure the future of the Alliance’s 1 billion citizens

Why

The NATO Innovation Fund (NIF) was created to supercharge the Alliance’s unique innovation ecosystems. Allied talent and research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are world-leading, but the market to support deep tech innovation is underfunded. With the NIF, we are creating a commercialisation machine in both the private and public sectors, backing innovators to secure the future for the Alliance's 1 billion citizens.

Focus

The NIF is a standalone EUR 1 billion venture capital fund supporting ambitious founders developing emerging and disruptive technologies. For us, high-impact verticals include artificial intelligence (AI), biotechnology, energy & propulsion, manufacturing, and space. We are passionate about autonomy, hypersonics, new materials and quantum, and want to shore up cutting-edge hardware and software.

Rallying around NATO’s Emerging and Disruptive Technologies (EDTs), our focus will evolve in parallel with today’s rapid innovation environment.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Autonomy
Quantum
Biotechnologies
Hypersonic Systems
Space
Novel Materials & Manufacturing
Energy & Propulsion
Next-Generation Communications

Objectives

With a long-term view, the NIF enables transformative technologies with the potential to shape our security for decades to come.

Our mission is an essential one, and it holds us to seeking out cutting-edge developments that solve NATO's challenges through adoption in defence and security markets; bolstering the capacities of Allied innovation ecosystems; and ultimately driving the scale and success of our portfolio.

08 - 01 - 2023

NATO Innovation Fund closes on EUR 1bn flagship fund

Twenty-three NATO Allies have officially become Limited Partners of the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), which is preparing to make its initial investments later this year. The Participating Allies* have also welcomed Sweden’s interest to join the NIF. Sweden’s participation will take effect upon its accession to the North Atlantic Treaty.

07 - 10 - 2023

NATO Allies appoint investment team to manage billion euro deep tech fund

Twenty-three NATO Allies* have selected the investment team to run the Alliance’s new 1 billion euro deep technology venture fund.

05 - 03 - 2023

Allies complete appointment of the NATO Innovation Fund’s Board of Directors

The 22 Allies* participating in the NATO Innovation Fund have completed the formation of the Board of Directors. The remaining six Directors were appointed on 27 April 2023.

More updates