Last Friday I had the pleasure of joining a panel on “Sovereignty & Startups – Can startups build the shield of Romania?”, organized by Underline Ventures & NATO DIANA.

It was a timely discussion on the role startups can play in strengthening national and European security.

We touched on several key challenges facing the defense tech ecosystem:

– Navigating the complexity of building and commercializing defense products
– Aligning innovation cycles with institutional procurement realities
– And most importantly, rethinking how these companies are financed in Europe

One point I emphasized: traditional VC is often not well-suited for defense. The path forward increasingly involves family offices, strategic capital, and US-based investors who better understand long-term, capital-intensive innovation in this space.

We also discussed how AI is no longer optional, and that it must be embedded both in the product layer and across internal processes, from development to operations and decision-making.

What stood out most, however, was the energy of the next generation of founders. It’s encouraging to see more young entrepreneurs and researchers entering the defense and space tech space.

At Orbotix, we’re excited to see this ecosystem growing, and we’re always open to collaborating with those building the future of European sovereignty.

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