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March 20, 2026

15 defence startups to watch in 2026, according to VCs

From hypersonic missiles to micro ocean robots, a host of defence startups are catching VCs’ eyes


Anne Sraders

8 min read

Mikolaj Firlej of Expeditions Fund

Defence startups have captured the zeitgeist among VCs, and it’s clear in the data: European defence startups raised €2.3bn in funding last year, up over 100% from 2024, according to Sifted data.

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Nicola Sinclair, founder of Twin Track Ventures
Nicola Sinclair, founder of Twin Track Ventures. Courtesy of Sinclair
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Mikolaj Firlej of Expeditions
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Adam Niewiński, managing partner at OTB Ventures
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The Keen Venture Partners' team
The Keen Venture Partners' team
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Anne Sraders

Anne Sraders is a senior reporter at Sifted, based in Berlin. She covers the VC industry and deeptech startups. She also writes Sifted's weekly VC newsletter Up Round. Follow her on X and LinkedIn

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