The defence contractor has expanded the remit of its CVC arm and set up an office in London to seek earlier access to emerging technologies in European defence markets.
Lockheed Martin is expanding the international reach of its corporate VC arm with the opening of a London office and a commitment to invest at least $100m in startups across the UK and Europe. The move extends the remit of Lockheed Martin Ventures, the defence group’s $1bn investment fund, as it seeks earlier access to emerging technologies in European defence markets.
“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,” said Chris Moran, vice president and general manager at Lockheed Martin Ventures, in a press release.
The expansion follows Lockheed Martin’s decision in April to increase the venture fund’s capital from $400m to $1bn, the largest increase since the unit was established in 2007.
The new London presence will serve as the base for Lockheed Martin Ventures Europe, providing a local investment team focused on identifying and supporting startups across the region. The company said the European allocation will come from the enlarged fund.
“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. “We expect our investment strategy to evolve as technologies emerge and the startup environment matures in markets where we do business around the world.”
Since launch, the venture arm has invested more than $500m in over 120 companies, including several in Europe, and has added 25 portfolio companies over the past two years.
The expansion reflects growing strategic interest among defence companies in building closer relationships with European technology ecosystems as governments increase defence spending and place greater emphasis on sovereign industrial capabilities. By establishing a permanent investment presence in London, Lockheed Martin is positioning itself to identify technologies earlier in their development and deepen engagement with startups serving European defence markets.
The move follows similar initiatives by other defence primes.
BAE Systems recently committed €50m ($57.1m) through its Launchpad programme to venture capital funds investing in European defence tech startups, making cornerstone commitments to funds managed by VC firms Expeditions and Lakestar.
Together, the initiatives illustrate how established defence contractors are broadening their corporate venture strategies in Europe, using both direct investment and fund commitments to secure earlier access to emerging technologies and strengthen regional innovation ecosystems.
See the recent deals by Lockheed Martin Ventures in the CVC Funding Round Database
Oishani Mitra
Oishani Mitra is the content manager for Global Corporate Venturing.
