Mitigating Key Vulnerabilities in European Defense Supply Chains Through Start-Up Contributions

European defense supply chains are critical to NATO and EU security, particularly in the context of heightened geopolitical tensions or potential rapid escalation on NATO’s eastern flank.

Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash

About the project

Recent events, including the war in Ukraine and hybrid-warfare activities that Europe is facing, highlight potential vulnerabilities in defense logistics, such as reliance on non-EU suppliers, fragmented production, and limited rapid supply increase capabilities.

Understanding these vulnerabilities is essential for policymakers and industry leaders to enhance resilience and ensure operational readiness. 
Defense start-ups, with their agility, innovation, and ability to address niche challenges, offer untapped potential to strengthen European defense supply chains.

This research aims to identify key vulnerabilities and explore how start-ups can mitigate them, focusing on enhancing resilience in the defense supply chain context. The study will leverage theoretical frameworks such as Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) and Resource Dependence Theory (RDT) to provide a robust analytical lens and propose actionable recommendations.

Moreover, the study will provide actionable strategies to integrate start-ups into European NATO countries' industrial defense ecosystems, informing industrial policy and bolstering defense supply chains' resilience.

Research team