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.

The senior management team will be led by Andrea Traversone as Managing Partner, together with Kelly Chen, Thorsten Claus, Patrick Schneider-Sikorsky and Chris O’Connor, who bring over 6 decades of collective experience in technological innovation, military operations and venture capital. 

The NATO Innovation Fund is the world's first multi-sovereign venture capital fund and will invest 1 billion euros in start-ups developing technologies for defence and security. The management team will steer the fund’s investment strategy, helping to drive emerging and disruptive technologies toward Allied adoption, build innovative capacity across the Alliance and promote commercial success. The NATO Innovation Fund Board of Directors will play a supervisory role.

“I am proud we have selected an exceptional international team who will take the vision of the NATO Innovation Fund set out by participating Allies and the NIF Board and translate it into a portfolio of bold investments,” said Prof. Dame Fiona Murray, Vice Chair, NIF Board of Directors. The appointment of the fund’s Founding Team marks a major step towards the selection of initial investments later this year. 

*Participating NATO Allies: Belgium; Bulgaria; Czechia; Denmark; Estonia; Finland; Germany; Greece; Hungary; Iceland; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Netherlands; Norway; Poland; Portugal; Romania; Slovakia; Spain; Türkiye; United Kingdom

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“In venture capital, the Senior Management Team are the brains behind investment decisions. I am confident that the NATO Innovation Fund’s Founding Team has the experience, drive and capability necessary to deliver the NIF’s mission.”

David van Weel, Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges, NATO

Other articles:

04 - 18 - 2024- 12:00 PM

Sweden Joins NATO Innovation Fund to Invest in Defence, Security and Resilience Startups

Sweden has officially become a Limited Partner (LP) of the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), joining 23 other countries to invest in advanced technology and science and enhance the defence, security and resilience of the allied nations.

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.

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.

03 - 21 - 2023

Appointment of Klaus Hommels as Chair of the NATO Innovation Fund

The first multi-sovereign venture fund was announced last year following an agreement at the Madrid Summit by 22 member states.