This American VC is betting on European defense tech; that’s still very unusual

VCs are known to move in flocks, so Eric Slesinger differs a little. Most American investors are following the beginnings of the AI ​​start or US-based defense technology, the former CIA officer hunts for defensive technological deals in Europe. In fact, Slessinger, founder 201 EnterpriseRecently, the seeds of seeds have been closed to $ 22 million in the start of European defense technology. For CIA agents, this is the first to have the only American VC, which is only the way to the European Defense Technology, which is designed for CIA agents, only investing in European defense technology.

Would it force someone to leave someone to leave “the best first job” to continue this special glory? As Slessinger said to TechCrunch at the last time Download Stricttyvc Podcast interviewThe answer came from determining a critical change in many of them. “I saw that before this competition, I saw that the competition was playing a role in this competition, I realized that I was really a government for the government competition,” Slessinger said. “Every day, the more things happened that the private sector played such a big role here.”

Degree from Stanford in Mechanical Engineering and Stanford in Harvard Business School, in the background of Sleleser, the gap between defense technology and commercial enterprises prepared to make a bridge. However, this was the desire to go against the conventional wisdom, which investors and the founders interested in the founders and Technological journalists the same.

“I have always enjoyed going where other people don’t want to go,” Slesinger said. “That’s why I enjoyed a lot of things in the CIA. A few things he used there, ‘Go to where others don’t go and don’t.” “

When the United States came to miss the VCs, there were three things in terms of Slessinger. First, “Europe has individual entrepreneurs that are as clever than anywhere in the world, like hungry, high confidence.” Second, “European governments have been waiting for a long time to re-think about their security agreement, and therefore did not take a critical eye on this.” Third, Europe continued to have a competition of a serious gray zone operating by state or non-state actors in my opinion, in my opinion, in my opinion.

Perhaps the most striking side of Slesinger’s European enterprise was the cultural resistance, which was found in defense investments. After moving in Madrid in Madrid in 2022, now entrepreneurs, investors and the European defense investor in politicians have started. In 2023 Average postSlessinger wrote about how the European VC colleagues feared about the defense investments. In America, Techcrunch, who invested in European defense technology, was not seen not to be seen, but not spoken in the dining-table, “the defender in Europe”, but not spoken at the dining-table. “(Slessinger quickly” I have a little exaggerated, but there is a truth. “)

He says that the cultural hesitation decided not to build a company “of many founders who think about it” [defense] space. “Now changing. The NATO Innovation Foundation – 24 NATO allies, the world’s first very very Sovereign Enterprise Capital Foundation, started after the Russia-Ukrainian war.

Thus, Munich based Helsing, including Munich-based Helsing, including Munich based Helsing, which is currently valuable to use in battlefields, drew attention and nearby defensive technological beginnings and $ 5 billion by investors. Another or comer in the SleSinger portfolio is the control towers that produce athens-based material, Athens-based material to detect the autonomous threats. Delian was removed so far Seed finance However, undoubtedly a hot ticket actively protected by VCS.

To date, with eight investments, 201 enterprises focus on technologies that apply to the competition of gray zone, because in the words of Slessinger, “It will happen in Europe and will be for the next decades.” Dyslocations in this market play a larger role, regardless of a sovereign abilities, regardless of the government, which plays an inefficiency or a larger role in a market.

In addition to Delian, Slesinger’s other is a Swedish start to produce sea drones with other slesinger bets, advanced navigation opportunities. Other focus areas include hypersonic and underground mapping.

A problem in financing the beginnings of defense technology is a longer developing schedule compared to traditional enterprise investments. Slesinger recognized this tension in his conversation with Techcrunch: “If the 10-year-old enterprise foundation is the life cycle, it’s a real thing we have to do something to accelerate or try to bend.”

Slessinger also thinks that “European companies should be more lobbying earlier before earlier.”

Both increases the questions about the gambler’s payment for investors. At the same time, the early vision for a more autonomous European defense ecosystem, the increase in geopolitical tension and reinstall European security regulations.

The information broadcast earlier this year by the NATO Innovation Fund and Research Group in 2023 in 2023 in 2024 in 2024 in 2024 in 2024 in 2024 $ 5.2 billion – even exceeds the AI ​​funding. President Donald Trump has returned to office in January and doubt the loyalty of the US defense of European defense, this figure is likely to rise to higher.