JavaScript Required

Jumpseat Aerospace News requires JavaScript to function. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings to continue.

NATO Fund Exec: Defence Procurement Must Adapt to Startups

October 5, 2026

2 min read

Key Takeaways

NATO Innovation Fund exec says procurement must adapt to startups.
European defence tech funding projected to reach $10.5 billion.
Procurement systems struggle to work with new defence companies.
NATO countries risk being unprepared for Ukraine-style warfare.

Silver membership required Upgrade to Silver to access Key Takeaways.

Upgrade

Strategic Implications

This warning may indicate a need for NATO countries to reassess their procurement strategies to effectively respond to rapidly changing warfare. The surge in defence tech funding suggests a growing importance of innovative solutions, which could benefit startups and new defence primes, but procurement systems may struggle to adapt, potentially hindering military readiness.

Silver membership required Upgrade to Silver to access Strategic Implications.

Upgrade

What Happened

Rapidly Changing Warfare Demands New Procurement Strategies

NATO Innovation Fund chief adoption officer John Ridge warns that NATO countries risk being unprepared for Ukraine-style warfare unless their procurement systems adapt to working with startups and new defence primes. Ridge spoke at the Resilience Conference in London, highlighting the challenges of traditional procurement systems in dealing with new and innovative companies. European defence tech funding is projected to reach $10.5 billion this year, but turning this investment into military procurement remains a hurdle, as reported by Resilience Media.

Source | Originally Published: October 5, 2026

Companies Mentioned