Analysis-Veterans lead Europe's defence tech revolution as Ukraine war fuels investment boom

FILE PHOTO: The German Armed Forces' First Lieutenant Matt Kuppers, who later co-founded the venture capital firm Defence Invest, operates an armed combat vehicle during an exercise in a NATO military training area at an undisclosed location in Germany, May 2024. Matt Kuppers/Handout via REUTERS/ File Photo

PRAGUE/STOCKHOLM (Reuters) -When former German army officer Matt Kuppers evaluated an Austrian startup's anti-drone weapons system, his military eye spotted what the young civilian founders had missed: the heated gun barrel lost accuracy after repeated firings.

That insight exemplifies how military veterans are reshaping Europe's defence technology landscape, bringing their experience to boardrooms and development labs, as the Ukraine war drives unprecedented investment in the sector.