A historic rearmament cycle
After decades of underinvestment, European governments are rebuilding defence capacity at a pace not seen in a generation - resulting in a sustained, structural rise in demand across the continent.
Specialist investor in European Defence & Security SMEs and scale-ups
Building a strong and resilient Europe
Autonomy Partners backs profitable SMEs and scale-ups in defence-related industries across Northwestern Europe, building players of scale with the goal of strengthening Europe’s strategic autonomy. Our team comes from top-tier institutions and takes an entrepreneurial, hands-on approach that builds on dedicated sector specialism and investment expertise.
Why now
A structural shift in European security
A fragmented, undercapitalised base
Europe’s defence & security supply base is highly fragmented. Many capable SMEs lack the capital and scale to meet rising demand or to compete for multi-year framework contracts.
A decisive shift to European sourcing
Security of supply and strategic autonomy are driving a deliberate move toward European sourcing and self-reliance - favouring local, dependable suppliers.
What we focus on
We back SMEs and scale-ups with strong value-add and high qualification barriers that meet a mission-critical need, in any of our three connected end-markets.
-
Defence
Mission-critical systems, subsystems and services across land, naval and air.
-
Security
Protection and tactical equipment, cyber, and critical-infrastructure resilience for civil and military users.
-
Aerospace
Airborne platforms, components and the technologies that enable them.
Across business models and applications
Business model
B2G Companies supplying ministries, agencies, militaries and law enforcement.
B2B Industry chain participants including Tier 2/3 suppliers, subsystem manufacturers, integrators, niche OEMs and service providers.
Application area
Dual-use Civil and defence applications.
Single-use Defence-specific applications.
Our value-add
A specialist partner, not a passive investor
We act as a specialist soundboard to, and an extension of, management - combining hands-on operational support with a unique pool of seasoned defence and broader technology entrepreneurs, veteran military leaders, and policy experts with deep-rooted connections across the sector. Both the network and our investors are brought in deal-by-deal, where they add the most impact.
About us
A dedicated sector specialist
Founded in Amsterdam in 2026 by partners with over 20 years of combined investment, transaction and operating experience and a long-standing passion for defence & security.
Meet the team