- Airbus Defence and Space became anchor investor in the E2D defence tech fund.
- E2D was launched by AVP and Earlybird in June 2026.
- The fund targets a size of €500m.
- E2D targets approximately 20 companies with an average investment of €25m.
- The first investment is in Alta Ares, developing AI-powered ISR and counter-UAS solutions.
Airbus Defence and Space has signed an agreement to become the anchor investor in the new E2D dual-use and defence technology growth fund. E2D was launched in June 2026 by AVP and Earlybird, targeting a size of €500m. The fund represents one of the most significant Franco-German investment collaborations in the European technology sector.
E2D targets approximately 20 companies with an average investment size of €25m, focusing on space, air, land, maritime, and subsurface domains. The fund has announced its first investment in Alta Ares, a company developing AI-powered hardware and software for ISR and counter-UAS missions. E2D follows a recently signed Memorandum of Understanding between Airbus Defence and Space and Alta Ares.
Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defence and Space, shared European defence faces a reality requiring scale and speed, and the investment adds to internal and direct M&A steps to scale European deep-tech. AVP manages more than €2.5bn of assets, and Earlybird also manages €2.5bn, supporting early-stage companies. “European defence faces a reality requiring scale and speed, therefore, we must actively build and expand a future tech ecosystem of suppliers and partners.”
