
Blossom Capital is dipping into defence. Here’s what the VC is looking for
THE SO WHAT
Generalist European capital moving into defence means dual-use AI, sensing, and autonomy startups now have a clearer funding path—and a higher bar on export controls and procurement literacy. If you’re building in this space, tighten your story around NATO-aligned use cases and certification timelines, not just tech novelty.
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