# NATO Innovation Fund

NATO Innovation Fund is a Private Equity based in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Private Equity
- **Headquarters:** Amsterdam, Netherlands
- **Region:** Europe
- **Address:** Amsterdam, Netherlands
- **Founded:** 2023
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** www.nif.fund
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/nato-innovation-fund-nif

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The NATO Innovation Fund is a standalone venture capital fund backed by 24 NATO allies, deploying €1 billion+ in deep tech. It is the world’s first multi-sovereign venture capital fund and invests independently in start-ups developing technologies for defence, security and resilience. It provides patient capital for up to 15 years and makes direct investments in participating Allied nations as well as indirect investments into deep tech funds.

## Sectors

- Defence Tech
- SpaceTech
- AI/ML
- Energy Transition & Renewables
- Quantum Computing
- Biotech
- Cybersecurity
- Robotics & Automation
- Advanced Materials

## Offices

- London, United Kingdom
- Warsaw, Poland

## People

- Andrea Traversone — Managing Partner
- Kelly Chen
- Thorsten Claus
- Patrick Schneider-Sikorsky
- Chris O’Connor
- Klaus Hommels — Chair
- Dame Fiona Murray — Vice Chair, NIF Board of Directors
- Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands — Board of Directors
- Kusti Salm — Board of Directors
- Karl-Christian Agerup — Board of Directors
- Ebru Dorman — Board of Directors
- Dr. Ari Kristinn Jónsson — Board of Directors
- Raj Shah — Board of Directors
- Dr. Roberto Cingolani — Board of Directors

## Questions

### Does NIF invest directly in startups or in other funds?

Both. NIF runs a direct venture program—leading rounds up to €15 million from Seed to Series B with follow-on reserves—and a fund-of-funds program. The fund-of-funds arm backs external VC managers whose investment scope matches the fund's mandate in deep technologies for defence, security, and resilience.

### Who supplies the capital for the NATO Innovation Fund?

The fund's capital comes from 24 NATO Allied nations. These include the United Kingdom, Germany, the Baltic states, the Nordics, and most other NATO members acting as limited partners. The NATO organization itself is not a financial contributor, and the fund has no single controlling government.

### What sectors does NIF focus on?

The fund invests across nine deep-tech verticals: artificial intelligence, quantum computing, space, novel materials and manufacturing, energy, autonomy, biotechnology, hypersonic systems, and next-generation communications. It avoids generic software and consumer internet. The unifying theme is technologies that strengthen national defence, security, or infrastructure resilience.

### How is NIF different from DIANA?

DIANA is a NATO-run accelerator that provides nondilutive grants, educational programs, and access to scientific testbeds, and its staff are NATO employees. NIF is an independent venture capital fund that takes equity positions, serves on boards, and provides investment capital. Both were launched under NATO 2030 and coordinate access to Allied government networks.

### Who runs investment decisions at NIF?

NIF does not publicly name an individual CIO or CEO on its website. The founding team collectively leads investments, reporting to a board of directors drawn from government, venture capital, innovation, and defence circles. The firm's public materials highlight over six decades of combined deep-tech experience across the founding group.

### What investment stage does NIF typically target?

First checks range from Seed through Series B, with an initial ticket size up to €15 million. The fund prefers to lead or co-lead rounds with a significant stake and maintains heavy reserves for follow-on capital through to exit. Portfolio companies must be headquartered in one of the 24 participating NATO Allied nations.

## Related profiles

- [Natixis Investment Managers](https://altss.com/profile/natixis)
- [NATSEC Capital](https://altss.com/profile/natsec-capital)

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Updated: 2026-08-11T15:07:34.613Z

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