Launching innovation in cybersecurity is one thing, scaling it to real impact in defense is another. Portugal emerges as a growing hub for talent. The EUDIS Defense Hackathon hosted by PRODUCTIZED proved that. Brilliant minds, groundbreaking research, and a rising number of projects tackling real-world risks. But when it comes to scaling and commercializing these ideas, there’s still a missing piece: capital with conviction. Cyber and defense are not easy sectors to fund. They require patient investors who understand technology, regulation, and geopolitics. Most traditional investors avoid them because they don’t fit the typical high-growth playbook. But security isn’t optional, and innovation in this space can’t wait. That’s why we built a dedicated fund for Cyber & Defense, designed to back founders who are solving hard security problems, people working on cyber resilience, intelligence, secure communications, defense tech, and frontier AI safety. This isn’t just about money. It’s about building an ecosystem that connects technical founders, defense experts, and strategic partners who share a mission: protecting the digital and physical foundations of our world. If you’re building in this space, or thinking about it, reach out. And if you’ve seen models in other countries that successfully bridge defense and startup ecosystems, I’d love to hear your perspective. Thank you Andre Marquet , Vikа Zhurbas, João Montenegro, Karolina Attspodina, @Joao Santos all the organizers and mentors for this amazing delivery to the ecosystem during the past weekend.
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Vikа Zhurbas
4mo
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This is brilliant thinking, giving cyber founders breathing and growing space in an niche that could otherwise strangle them. Open to founders from Africa?