EIFO invests $5 million in D3, the Ukraine-focused defence know-how enterprise fund – sUAS Information


·       EIFO, the Export and Funding Fund of Denmark, is the primary state-backed fund to spend money on D3

·       The funding will assist the continued improvement of the Ukrainian and European defence know-how ecosystems

·       D3 is advancing early-stage defence start-ups in Ukraine, offering progress capital to develop and scale new applied sciences

EIFO, the Export and Funding Fund of Denmark, publicizes an funding of US$5 million into D3, a defence know-how enterprise fund with a powerful presence and track-record in Ukraine. The funding will increase Ukrainian and European defence innovation, funding the event and scaling of latest defence applied sciences together with drones, sensors, demining and AI options.

D3 acts as a bridge between Ukraine, with its rising experience in uneven defence and associated applied sciences, and its Allies, connecting start-ups with the capital and partnerships wanted to scale frontier applied sciences. The partnership between D3 and EIFO may have further advantages for Denmark, opening doorways for Danish firms to entry new know-how, information, and partnerships.

As the primary state-backed fund to spend money on D3, EIFO has demonstrated a continued dedication to Ukraine’s defence, in alignment with its mandate to assist Danish and European provide chains for the inexperienced transition, defence and know-how. Alongside this newest funding in D3, EIFO is working a assure scheme for investments into Ukraine’s defence business with a complete price range of DKK 1 billion (US$157 million), and has secured financing for developments together with the development of Ukraine’s largest ever wind vitality mission.

Following Russia’s invasion, Ukraine has change into a hub for innovation in uneven defence know-how. A wealth of Ukrainian early-stage firms has developed, deployed and gained deep experience in main defence know-how improvements which can be essential not solely to Ukraine’s defence, however for all allied international locations. EIFO’s funding offers risk-tolerant funding to assist the defence know-how ecosystem in Ukraine and Europe extra broadly, enabling the innovation required to remain forward in an period of quickly evolving warfare.

Peder Lundquist, CEO at EIFO, commented: “Our funding in D3 underscores EIFO’s strategic targets to assist Ukraine, strengthen the Danish defence business, and bolster European defence capabilities. In partnership with D3, we’re offering fairness to defence and safety startups in Ukraine, receiving very important combat-proven know-how in return. D3 is among the most insightful, lively and efficient defence-focused buyers in Europe, and we’re proud to be partnering with this devoted crew.”

Morten Bødskov, The Danish Minister for Trade, Enterprise and Monetary Affairs, commented:

“Denmark stands facet by facet with Ukraine of their struggle for freedom. We exhibit this unwavering assist as soon as once more with the funding into D3. This not solely helps Ukraine’s heroic defence of their nation and their freedom, however it’s also an funding in European safety. On the identical time, EIFO opens the door for Danish firms to entry new know-how, information, and partnerships. It’s an funding within the defence business of the long run, the place innovation and collaboration throughout borders are essential for each safety and progress.”

Founding and managing companion at D3, Eveline Buchatskiy, welcomes EIFO as the primary state-owned fund to spend money on the Ukraine-focused enterprise fund: “We’re proud to welcome EIFO as a strategic investor in D3. Denmark has proven daring management in understanding how Ukraine fights – and the way vital know-how is to win. As a state-owned fund, EIFO’s backing alerts Europe’s rising recognition that combat-proven innovation from Ukraine is significant to our collective defence. That is greater than solidarity – it’s constructing the tech spine of a resilient, democratic Europe.”

Ukrainian Minister of Strategic Industries, Herman Smetanin mentioned:

“We’re grateful to Denmark and EIFO for this strategic funding. An funding that’s paving the best way for the subsequent era of protection applied sciences. This isn’t solely a contribution to Ukraine’s safety, however to the shared capability of the democratic world to answer rising threats. Ukrainian engineers and entrepreneurs have confirmed their means to ship breakthrough options, and with Denmark’s assist, we will now scale these improvements for the advantage of your entire Euro-Atlantic neighborhood.”

Established by Eveline Buchatskiy, Anton Verkhovodov and Elya Chiechienieva in the summertime of 2023, D3’s ambition is to fund essentially the most promising and groundbreaking new startups in areas reminiscent of UAVs, autonomy, robotics, digital warfare, and demining – and serving to them scale to the subsequent stage for the advantage of Ukraine and Europe.

The ambition is to take a position into +30 early-stage startups inside a brief time period and with an already confirmed observe document of greater than 700 screenings and 16 investments with co-investors like high VC-funds Sequoia Capital, a16z, and Lux Capital, D3 seems to be like an ideal match for the Danish state fund.

About EIFO and its engagement in Ukraine

EIFO is the nationwide promotional financial institution and export credit score company of Denmark mixed in a single monetary establishment. Lively in over 100 international locations, and with a complete enterprise quantity of greater than 170 billion DKK, EIFO offers monetary options for Danish firms and their international companions, whereas additionally investing in startups and funds.

We exist to open doorways for Danish international enterprise, speed up the inexperienced transition, promote new applied sciences and develop the Danish defence business. With our willingness to take dangers in financing, EIFO paves the best way for individuals who dare to assume massive.

With a complete capability of DKK 6.6 billion, EIFO has a powerful presence in Ukraine. Actions embody financing the reconstruction of enterprise and infrastructure, in addition to defence investments.

Uniquely, EIFO because the Danish ECA affords a 100% assure in reference to commerce with Ukraine, which implies that commerce occur regardless of conflict and dangers.

EIFO’s new fairness funding assure of 1 billion DKK additionally makes it doable for Danish firms to spend money on Ukrainian defence firms with 70% danger protection, partly to assist the Ukrainians and partly to provide Danish defence firms entry to present Ukrainian innovation.

EIFO is presently straight concerned in 19 tasks totaling DKK 3 billion. The tasks are situated in giant elements of Ukraine and are distributed in agriculture, wastewater, ingesting water, development, and business.

With a assure of two.85 billion DKK, EIFO has secured financing for the development of Ukraine’s largest wind vitality mission ever, Tiligul. Utilizing Vestas wind generators, the finished wind farm can guarantee electrical energy for 900,000 households and may have a complete capability of 498 MW, making it considered one of Europe’s largest onshore wind farms.

EIFO nonetheless has a big quantity accessible for activation of tasks in Ukraine, the place EIFO has native illustration in Kyiv. EIFO is presently taking a look at 25 new circumstances, the entire scope of which is greater than 3,4 billion DKK.

See extra at: www.eifo.dk/en/

About D3 – For Founders who Dare to Defend Democracy

D3 is an early stage defence know-how enterprise fund established in 2023 by Eveline Buchatskiy, Anton Verkhovodov and Elya Chiechienieva with the aim of funding progressive founders in defence tech who may help shield Ukraine and strengthen the safety in Europe.

D3 performs the function of a bridge between Ukraine, with its rising experience in uneven defence and associated applied sciences, and their Allies, who’re geared up with extra capital and might be companions for frontier applied sciences.

The fund’s technique entails investing in pre-seed and seed-stage defence know-how firms situated in Ukraine and allied international locations.

For firms originating in Ukraine, D3 provide assist in establishing a enterprise basis for international progress. For firms coming from Allied international locations, D3 creates alternatives for soft-landing in Ukraine’s tech ecosystem and defence sector.

D3 plans to spend money on +30 firms.

See extra at: https://d3.vc


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