Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Why Eric Slesinger, a former CIA officer, is now funding European defense tech
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Why Eric Slesinger, a former CIA officer, is now funding European defense tech
This week on StrictlyVC Download, Alex Gove speaks with Eric Slesinger from 201 Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on seed-stage defense tech startups in Europe. They discuss Eric's journey from CIA to investor and how he recognized the untapped potential in European defense tech while others were dismissive, and how he's working to overcome the cultural taboo that once made defense investments "bad manners" in European VC circles.
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction and Eric's CIA background
04:17 - Why Europe for defense tech investments
06:32 - Changing European attitudes toward defense technology
09:00 - Ukraine as a testing ground for new technologies
11:24 - Launching 201 Ventures with NATO Innovation Fund
14:30 - Investment partnerships and sourcing strategies
18:07 - The Polar Mist story and maritime defense
20:15 - Gray zone dislocations and technology focus areas
22:59 - Evaluating government demand for new technologies
25:50 - Mission goals and the future of 201 Ventures
28:03 - Conclusion
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
View all episodes
By Connie Loizos & Alex Gove
4.7
2424 ratings
This week on StrictlyVC Download, Alex Gove speaks with Eric Slesinger from 201 Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on seed-stage defense tech startups in Europe. They discuss Eric's journey from CIA to investor and how he recognized the untapped potential in European defense tech while others were dismissive, and how he's working to overcome the cultural taboo that once made defense investments "bad manners" in European VC circles.
Chapters:
00:00 - Introduction and Eric's CIA background
04:17 - Why Europe for defense tech investments
06:32 - Changing European attitudes toward defense technology
09:00 - Ukraine as a testing ground for new technologies
11:24 - Launching 201 Ventures with NATO Innovation Fund
14:30 - Investment partnerships and sourcing strategies
18:07 - The Polar Mist story and maritime defense
20:15 - Gray zone dislocations and technology focus areas
22:59 - Evaluating government demand for new technologies
25:50 - Mission goals and the future of 201 Ventures
28:03 - Conclusion
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
More shows like StrictlyVC Download
View all
This Week in Startups
1,281 Listeners
The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch
534 Listeners
The a16z Show
1,094 Listeners
Invest Like the Best with Patrick O'Shaughnessy
2,362 Listeners
Equity
337 Listeners
Capital Allocators – Inside the Institutional Investment Industry
793 Listeners
Y Combinator Startup Podcast
227 Listeners
All-In with Chamath, Jason, Sacks & Friedberg
10,024 Listeners
Dwarkesh Podcast
518 Listeners
No Priors: Artificial Intelligence | Technology | Startups
131 Listeners
Crucible Moments
100 Listeners
The Ben & Marc Show
132 Listeners
AI + a16z
35 Listeners
Uncapped with Jack Altman
42 Listeners
Cheeky Pint
37 Listeners