The $500B Opportunity in Europe’s Defense Buildout
Sep 30, 2026 · 21:51
Molly O'Shea interviews Aistis Šimaitis (Co-Founder & CEO of Onodrim), George Hadjiminas (Chief Strategy Officer at Theon International), and Bruno Wejchert (Partner at Strike Capital) on why Europe's €800B defense buildout depends on manufacturing scale, not just new technology. Aistis argues 'volume wins'—systems must be produced in tens of thousands to millions, forcing prices like a $30,000 radio far lower for autonomous warfare. George warns 'prototypes don't fight wars,' claiming Europe's tech capabilities rival America's despite too many protected national champions. Bruno, citing component lead times of years and primes taking 4–5 years to deliver contracts, predicts a half-trillion-dollar European defense company founded in the last five years could emerge within the next decade.
