European venture capital firm Lakestar announced the closing of its Lakestar Resilience I fund at €262.2 million ($300 million). The fund was oversubscribed, with investor interest significantly exceeding its targeted size. The firm describes it as Europe’s largest institutional venture fund built exclusively for dual-use and defence technology companies, and
Rahul Raj
European venture capital firm Lakestar announced the closing of its Lakestar Resilience I fund at €262.2 million ($300 million). The fund was oversubscribed, with investor interest significantly exceeding its targeted size.
The firm describes it as Europe’s largest institutional venture fund built exclusively for dual-use and defence technology companies, and raised from private capital. It also announced that Sir Nicholas Carter, General Volker Wieker, former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and Baroness Martha Lane Fox have joined its advisory board.
Dr. Klaus Hommels, founder and chairperson, Lakestar, said, “Freedom does not come for free. Europe needs sovereign technology capital in the defence and dual-use sectors.”
Founded in 2012 by Dr. Hommels, Lakestar is a leading pan-European venture capital firm. It has over €5.2 billion ($6 billion) in assets under management, and its platform spans institutional venture capital funds and personal investments across stages and geographies.
It invests across stages, from early-stage venture funding to growth, supporting companies as they expand through capital, expertise, and long-term partnerships. Its portfolio includes prominent companies such as Airbnb, Isar Aerospace, Helsing, Spotify, Klarna, Revolut, SumUp, Coinbase, and Neko Health.
Earlier this week, Stockholm-based HealthTech company Neko Health announced the completion of its €612.7 million ($700 million) Series C funding round, with participation from Lakestar.
Lakestar Resilience invests in companies developing the technologies that strengthen Europe’s security and strategic capabilities.
In a LinkedIn post announcing this development, Dr. Hommels mentioned, “Almost a decade ago, I made my first defence investments, at a time when the category was considered uninvestable by many. Two years later, in a keynote I called “Cold War 2 and the Role of Tech”, I laid out a conviction that has guided me ever since: sovereignty and advancing Europe’s capabilities in critical technologies should be a core concern for all of us. We backed founders on that belief, long before it became consensus.”
“This is the formalisation of a mission I first articulated in 2019 and outlined to many of you in a letter last October. The founders we back have chosen to solve the hardest problems in the most consequential category of our time. They deserve a partner who is there for the long run, and capital that is patient, principled, and founder-centric,” he added.
Ninja Struye de Swielande, Partner and Chief Communication Officer, and Head of IR at Lakestar, stated that Resilience I marks an important milestone in the VC firm’s mission to strengthen European resilience.
In a LinkedIn post, she wrote, “Over the past months, we have been able to spend time with LPs across Europe and western allies. What struck me most in these conversations wasn’t just the level of interest, but the depth of conviction behind it. Investors increasingly recognise that European security requires long-term thinking, sustained investment, and strong technology champions. I am proud of having contributed and helped raise this fund, following Lakestar’s and Klaus’ focus and mission for strengthening European resilience.”
