Defence Hub CzechInvest Joins European Defence Alliance Through Bpifrance Partnership

Defence Hub CzechInvest has joined the European Defence Alliance through a partnership with the French public investment bank Bpifrance and its EuroQuity business matchmaking platform, strengthening opportunities for Czech defense startups and small and medium-sized enterprises to connect with investors and industrial partners across Europe.

The membership provides companies supported by Defence Hub CzechInvest with access to targeted investor meetings involving venture capital and private equity funds, as well as the Defence Angels Europe Network. Participating companies will also be able to present their technologies during quarterly pitch sessions organized for investors and major defense corporations.

According to Defence Hub CzechInvest, the partnership is designed to improve access to European prime contractors, facilitate cross-border projects and collaborative studies, and increase the visibility of Czech defense innovators within the broader European defense ecosystem.

Bpifrance has significantly expanded its role in the defense sector in recent years. The French public investment bank invested more than €1 billion in defense during 2024 and holds investments in approximately 70 dual-use companies. Its EuroQuity platform brings together a global network of 260 partners and nearly two decades of experience in connecting companies with investors and strategic partners.

The organization highlighted previous cooperation with Bpifrance as evidence of the platform's potential. In 2025, Defence Hub CzechInvest supported Czech startup INFRAHEX at an event in Paris, where the company won a pitching competition and later secured a place in the NATO DIANA 2026 Challenge Programme. Another participant, ZAITRA, was subsequently selected for the European Innovation Council Accelerator. Other Czech companies, including Instria s.r.o., TRL Drones, FIRSTGREEN INDUSTRIES GLOBAL, and Armatura Industries s.r.o., also presented their technologies to investors during previous events.

The next opportunity for Czech companies to participate through the partnership is scheduled for November 2 to 6, 2026, in Paris, with registration expected to open soon.