Re-arming Europe: Darkstar launches €25M pan-European defence fund for battlefield-ready tech, weapons; secures €15M first close - Silicon Canals

Liberal leaders building a safer Europe in security and defence policy

Estonia’s tech maverick launches bold defence fund to “re-arm Europe”

Ragnar Sass, the Estonian tech entrepreneur behind Pipedrive and the Lift99 startup hub, has announced the launch of Darkstar, a pan-European defence fund that aims to inject wartime urgency – and battlefield pragmatism – into the continent’s defence technology sector. Described by Sass as “a defence tech ecosystem builder, not a traditional VC,” Darkstar is the first fund of its kind in Europe focused exclusively on real military systems, inclu…

Re-arming Europe: Darkstar launches €25M pan-European defence fund for battlefield-ready tech, weapons; secures €15M first close - Silicon Canals

Darkstar, a defence tech ecosystem builder, announced the official launch of Europe’s first pan-European defence fund fully dedicated to backing real military systems, including weapons and dual-use technologies. The newly launched €25M fund has secured a first close of €15M, led by SmartCap, Estonia’s sovereign defence fund. Additionally, over 30 founders and supporters from across Europe also backed the fund. With this fund, the Darkstar will …