This is why Eric SLESINGER is slightly noticeable because VCS is known to move in a group. Most US investors pursue AI startups or US -based defense technology startups, but former CIA officers are hunting for European defense technology. In fact, SLESINGER, the founder of 201 Ventures, has recently closed a $ 22 million fund that focuses on the European Defense Technology Startup. His way to become the only US VC who invests exclusively in European defense technology in the development of gadgets and software for CIA agents seems to be scientific.
What do you want to force someone to pursue this specific ambition to leave the “best first job” in the CIA? As SLESINGER told TechCrunch in a recent interview with StrictlyVC download podcast, the answer has been in identifying critical changes that many people missed. “I’ve left because I learned that the private sector plays more and more important in this competition,” said Slesinger.
The background of SLESINGER helped to bridge the gap between defense technology and commercial ventures through the degree in Stanford at Mechanical Engineering and Harvard Business School. But what was interesting for both investors, founders and technical journalists was his will to oppose the existing wisdom.
Slesinger said, “I always enjoyed going to where others didn’t want to go.” So I enjoyed the work of the CIA. Some of the people there are said, ‘It’s something you can’t go to where others don’t go.’
There were three things from the point of view of SLESINGER about the missing US VC. First, in Europe, there are individual entrepreneurs who are as smart as hungry or high beliefs. “Second, the European government has waited too long to reconsider what the contract for his security means, so he did not actually attract critical attention.” Third, “Europe was fast and I would continue to be a place for serious gray zone competition.
Perhaps the most amazing aspect of Slesinger’s European venture is the cultural resistance he met with about defense investment. In 2022, after moving to Madrid in the United States, he began a European defense investor network, including entrepreneurs, investors and policy makers. In the 2023 mid -post, Slesinger wrote how European VC colleagues were afraid of talking about defense -related investments. Unlike the United States, Techcrunch, a defense technology investor in Europe, said, “It was considered insignificant.
He said, “Many founders have decided not to build a company in the space, thinking about it.” Now it is changing. NATO Innovation Fund supported 24 NATO Allies and the world’s first multi-resident venture capital fund, which began in the summer of 2022 after the Russian-Ukrainian war began, helped. In fact, it is an important supporter of 201 Ventures.
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The upcoming defensive technology startup on the continent, including Helsing -based Helsing, is developing AI on the battlefield and is now worth more than $ 5 billion by investors. Another company in SLESINGER’s portfolio is Delian Alliance Industries, an Athenian -based dress that develops a surveillance tower to detect autonomous threats. Delian has been raising seed funds so far, but it is a hot ticket that VCS is actively leaning.
To date, in eight investments, the 201 Ventures focuses on the technology to solve the Gray Zone competition because it is “scale in Europe and will proceed for the next decades.” He is a government that plays a bigger role in the market if it has price -effective efficiency due to these market dislocations or the government does not want sovereignty.
In addition to Delian, another bet is a Swedish start -up that produces maritime drones with advanced navigation. Other focus areas include hypersonics and underground mapping.
Defense Defense Tech Startup’s financing is a longer development time line compared to traditional venture investment. SLESINGER acknowledged this tension in a conversation with Techcrunch. “If you have a 10 -year venture funding life cycle, we must try to get some acceleration or bend.”
Slesinger also said, “I think European companies should have more lobbying in the previous stage.”
Both question whether his gambling will pay investors. At the same time, his initial vision for more autonomous European defense ecosystems is becoming more clearer for many other investors as he has risen nowadays and Europe is rethinking security measures.
According to the data released earlier this year by the NATO Innovation Fund and Research Group Dealroom, European startups on defense and related technologies have collected 24% more capital in 2024 than 2023, surpassing AI funds by recording $ 5.2 billion in capital. The figure will be much higher as President Donald Trump returns to the office in January and questions the US promise to Europe.