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Dual-use technology for a complex world.

Founders building resilient, dual-use technologies across security, autonomy and resilience.

Why Defense Tech at 2080

Defense and dual-use founders sell to the slowest, most procedural customer there is, and almost never in their home market alone. That is the problem we are built for. Our program work runs through government agencies and public innovation bodies, so the conversation about procurement paths, export control and sovereign priorities happens with the institutions themselves rather than in a pitch rehearsal.

What we look at

Dual-use autonomyResilient communicationsSpace and aerospace systemsIndustrial inspection for securityCyber-physical risk toolsMission software

How we work in Defense Tech

  1. 01Idea

    Separate mission from demo

    We test whether the product maps to a real institutional need, which user owns the pain, and whether the same technology can serve lawful civil or commercial demand while procurement matures.

  2. 02Accelerate

    Build for regulated adoption

    The work is requirements, evidence and trust. Founders sharpen deployment assumptions, document system limits, and prepare pilots that a public agency or corporate security buyer can evaluate responsibly.

  3. 03Capital

    Finance long sales cycles

    Dual-use companies often need patient capital before revenue is clean. We help frame milestone-based rounds around prototypes, pilots, compliance readiness and early customer commitments instead of vague strategic interest.

  4. 04Growth

    Navigate institutional procurement channels

    Our government-backed programs give founders practice with public-sector expectations: formal scopes, accountable counterparts, local market context and language that fits institutions without overstating readiness during early deployment.

  5. 05Liquidity

    Prepare strategic exit optionality

    When a defense or resilience product works, strategic buyers may care about the team, software stack, data rights or hardware path. We help founders keep those assets legible during growth.

Programs

Applications openCambodia Startup Launchpad
For founders
Phnom Penh, Cambodia Oct 2026 12 weeks

This sector-agnostic program is committed to advancing world-class startups from Cambodia, with a strong focus on MVP validation, acquiring first customers, and preparing for regional expansion and fundraising readiness.

Apply now
CompletedMisk Launchpad
For founders
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia549 founders

Run with Misk in Saudi Arabia — our largest cohort to date, taking founders from idea to investment readiness across the Gulf.

View recap
CompletedCIS Founders Accelerator
For founders
CIS region125 founders

A corporate-backed acceleration and scale-up program that took 125 founders across the CIS region from growth to global expansion.

View recap

Reading

Defense Tech
DefenceTech Open Innovation: 3 Case Studies

Open innovation in the defense sector has become a critical driver of technological advancement and strategic advantage. As global challenges evolve, defense organizations are increasingly turning to

Defense Tech
DefenceTech Open Innovation: 2024 Trends

Are you aware of the transformative potential of Open Innovation in the defense sector? As global challenges evolve, the need for innovative solutions becomes increasingly critical. This newsletter wi

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