Lockheed Martin Ventures to invest $100M in European defense firms

FARNBOROUGH — The strategic investment arm of US-based Lockheed Martin is widening its reach into European markets, with plans to invest $100 million in defense companies across the continent.

The move follows the “largest boost” in available money in Lockheed Martin Venture’s 19-year history, thanks to in part to the acceleration of Europe’s defense industry, the company said in a press release. In April, the fund doubled global investments from $400 million to $1 billion, Chris Moran, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s venture arm, told Breaking Defense.

The fund is also opening its first office in London as it grows its investments in Europe. 

“We saw the business activity, particularly in tech areas we care about and defense, and now an abundance of deals happening over here [in Europe] that we wanted to be more directly involved in and partake in,” Moran said at the air show here. 

The VC firm is seeking to invest more in emerging technologies, Moran said, adding that quantum computing and sensing, autonomy, and advanced manufacturing technologies are three sectors of interest. 

Lockheed Martin said in a press release that the portion of the funding dedicated to Europe is “part of the company’s commitment to strengthen the transatlantic defense industrial base.”

Moran said he expects to review between 300 and 500 investment opportunities and make concrete investments into three to five European companies over the next several years. The UK, Germany and the Netherlands are high on the leaderboard in terms of specific countries generating the most business opportunities, according to Moran.

“These look like the top tech generators — what I mean here is we screen through the transactions that were done each year, how many deals were closed and how many funding rounds happened, and it looks like the most were done in these countries,” he said.