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Airbus anchors €500M European defence tech fund as E2D makes first investment in Alta Ares

Tech.eu Cate Lawrence 21 July 2026, 13:44

Airbus Defence and Space has become the anchor investor in E2D, a €500 million European defence technology fund jointly managed by Earlybird and AVP. The fund is making its first investment in Alta Ares, a French company developing AI-powered hardware and software for surveillance and counter-drone systems, with plans to invest in around 20 companies at approximately €25 million per ticket. This deployment of capital aims to strengthen European defence capabilities and reduce reliance on external technology sources.

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Earlybird and AVP are pleased to welcome Airbus Defence and Space as the anchor investor in E2D, the €500 million dual-use and defence technology growth fund the two firms launched last month. The fun...

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Airbus anchors €500M European defence tech fund as E2D makes first investment in Alta Ares

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