The move follows Lockheed Martin’s April announcement that it would raise the fund’s investment capacity from $400 million to $1 billion, the largest increase in available capital in the fund’s history. The company said the European expansion will use part of that added capacity to accelerate the insertion of new technologies into defense systems.
“We are reaching even deeper into the investing ecosystem, meeting our potential partners where they are,” said Chris Moran, vice president and general manager, Lockheed Martin Ventures. “Our presence will help us seize opportunities for investing earlier in the startup lifecycle, ensure technical interoperability with existing platforms, and better support our allied customers.”
Lockheed Martin said the initiative is part of a broader effort to strengthen the transatlantic defense industrial base. The company said European customers are increasingly seeking sovereign capabilities, creating a larger role for investment in emerging defense technologies.
The investments are intended to support technologies that complement Lockheed Martin’s national security capabilities and address current and future customer missions. The company also said the program can help strengthen the defense industrial base, increase supply chain resilience and generate economic benefits for the United States and its allies.
“We are looking to invest in technologies that complement the company’s national security capabilities and help advance solutions to meet current and future customer mission needs, while further strengthening the transatlantic defense industrial base,” said Dan Tenney, senior vice president of Global Business Development and Strategy. The company expects its approach to develop as new technologies emerge and startup markets mature in countries where it operates.
Lockheed Martin Ventures has already invested in several companies in Europe and said more deals are expected to close soon. The company said the decision comes as venture capital investment grows rapidly, especially in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Founded in 2007 with initial funding of $100 million, Lockheed Martin Ventures is one of the longest continuously operated aerospace and defense corporate venture capital firms in the United States. Since its founding, it has helped 60 companies mature into suppliers.
The fund has invested more than $500 million in more than 120 companies, including several in European markets. Over the past two years, 25 companies have been added to its portfolio.
Lockheed Martin Ventures makes strategic investments in companies developing cutting-edge technologies in the company’s core businesses and in new areas of the national security market.
Beyond capital, the fund provides portfolio companies with access to Lockheed Martin’s engineering talent, technologies, research and business and technical expertise.
