It’s not a storm — it’s the climate
It’s not a storm — it’s the climate
Doubling Down on Defence
27 January 2026
Summary:
In this week’s Protect Europe Podcast (PEP), we dive into the vision and mission of Vishal Gaglani, Co-Founder of Defence Invest, an emerging European venture capital firm focused on defence tech innovation. Defence Invest is a veteran-founded defence technology VC backed by over 60 years of combined military experience and dedicated to transforming the pace and impact of defence innovation in Europe. The firm invests in early-stage, dual-use and defence-first startups that are building technologies critical to modern deterrence, resilience, and strategic autonomy.
TAKEAWAYS:
- Defence Invest is a pan-European early stage (series A & B) investor (50M fund)
- The team has strong military capabilities, particularly in the UK and German militaries.
- Defence Invest is looking at all types of exits, including Private Equity
- The conversation looked at different models that balance the needs of long-term strategic ownership model, e.g. Berkshire Hathaway / Constellation Group of Defence.
- Dual Use as “marketed” is often a confusing misnomer.