This report is from this week’s The Tech Download newsletter. Like what you see? You can subscribe here. Once considered a taboo sector to funnel money into by venture capitalists, defense tech has seen a remarkable shift over the past few years. It raised just $869 million globally in 2020, according to deal-counting platform Dealroom —…
European defense tech startups are ramping up commercial discussions with Middle East governments since the Iran war, company execs told CNBC. Another CEO said interest from Gulf states was “skyrocketing” as they race to bolster measures to counter drone and missile attacks. Iran has targeted its neighbors since a joint U.S.-Israeli military operation began at…
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth holds a briefing with Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 19, 2026. Evan Vucci | Reuters A broker for U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sought to make a large investment in…
Guvendemir | E+ | Getty Images The Iran war is redefining modern combat for the U.S. and driving demand for lower-cost tech. It’s the exact situation Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned against a few months ago. “We cannot afford to shoot down cheap drones with $2 million missiles,” Hegseth said in December. “And we ourselves…
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Munich, Germany on Feb. 15, 2025. Sean Gallup | Getty Images Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday kicked off a surprise visit to Saudi Arabia, seeking support for Kyiv as the U.S. reportedly weighs shifting military resources to the Middle East amid escalating tensions with Iran. Zelenskyy met with Saudi…
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on March 19, 2026. Mandel Ngan | Afp | Getty Images Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday that the Pentagon’s reported $200 billion budget request for Iran war funding “could move.” “It takes money to kill bad guys,”…
Gecko Robotics, a Pittsburgh-based robotics startup, on Tuesday announced a $71 million deal with the U.S. Navy to cut down ship repair time as the government races to reindustrialize America’s aging defense systems. The company said its robots — capable of flying, swimming and climbing critical infrastructure — use cameras and sensors to condense a…
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the BlackRock Infrastructure Summit on March 11, 2026 in Washington, DC. Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with a handful of lawmakers in Washington, D.C. where Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said he raised some “serious questions” about the company’s approach to warfare and its recent…
Palantir CEO Alex Karp told CNBC on Thursday that artificial intelligence is giving the U.S. and its allies an edge in the escalating conflict in Iran and across the Middle East. “What makes America special right now is our lethal capabilities, our ability to fight war,” Karp said at Palantir’s AIPcon 9 in Maryland. He added that…
March 8, 2026: 23 Marina building damaged by drone Debris in Dubai’s Marina Emma Graham, CNBC Gulf states reported more damage to infrastructure over the weekend as Iran continues to attack regional allies in retaliation for ongoing strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces. The United Arab Emirates said it was “dealing with incoming missile and…
