European defencetech hits record $7.4B as investment nearly triples in 2026

What happened

Venture capital investment in European defencetech startups has reached a record $7.4 billion in 2026 to date, nearly three times the $2.6 billion raised 2025, according to a new report from Dealroom and Resilience Media. Meanwhile, defencetech startups in NATO Alliance countries have raised $27.1B in VC funding in 2026, already 1.9x more than in all of 2025.

A rapidly expanding investor base Dealroom has identified 310 investors participating in at least one European defence deal in 2026 to date and projects that the full-year total will reach 620, more than six times the 99 recorded in 2020 and up from 387 in 2025. Mega-rounds, including seven $1B+ rounds: Anduril, Helsing, Saronic, Shield AI, Quantum Systems, ICEYE and Castelion, account for more than 85 per cent of funding this year. Defencetech is now the fastest-growing major segment of European venture capital and accounts for 11.1 per cent of European VC investment, rising to 15 per cent within the EU27.