Start-ups and dual-use technologies – an opportunity for Poland’s defence industry
Photo. Siemens
In the face of shifting economic dynamics and security challenges, integrating the civilian sector – including start-ups and dual-use technology companies – with the defence industry is becoming a necessity. Bringing young, innovative firms into supply chains can accelerate the transfer of modern technologies, boost production capacity, and significantly reduce costs.
According to General Jarosław Gromadziński, this is not just a direction for growth – it is a condition for the survival of a competitive defence sector. The Baltic states can serve as a model, while global NATO and EU initiatives supporting dual-use technologies provide further inspiration. Poland has the potential to become a leader in this field, but this will require courage, deregulation, and strategic investment.
In a rapidly developing global economy, particularly in the area of new and innovative technologies, it seems inevitable that the civilian sector will play a greater role in the supply chain for defence production. Such deliberate and planned actions enable diversification of suppliers, faster and more efficient expansion of production capacity, and cost reductions by fostering competition.
Equally important is the fact that this approach allows for a quicker flow of new technologies into an otherwise somewhat rigid defence industry (especially in Poland). Harnessing the potential of young firms and technology start-ups can become a driving force for the defence sector, relieving it of the need to pour resources into building often inefficient and costly in-house research centres. Instead, large defence companies can adopt and implement cutting-edge solutions without the burden of long-term R&D and financial outlays.
Therefore, major Polish defence firms should see themselves more as investors in the innovative technology market, supporting start-ups whose operations are characterised by creativity, flexibility, and, most importantly, the freedom to develop new concepts. Data shows that in 2023 alone, venture capital investment in blockchain and Web3 technologies rose by 126%, demonstrating the dynamic growth of this market segment.
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This trend points to a fundamental change in how business and the economy operate, with innovative technologies becoming the primary driver of growth. The highly formalised defence sector must therefore adapt to these changing trends within the rapidly evolving technology industry – or risk losing its competitive edge.
Another key opportunity to increase the efficiency of the defence industry lies in close cooperation with enterprises developing dual-use technologies. These solutions offer numerous advantages, the greatest being that they are often battle-tested products which can be relatively easily adapted for military purposes.
Of course, the defence market is not an easy one – it is heavily regulated and demanding, more akin to a marathon than a sprint for companies seeking entry. A recommended path is to join the supply chain of a major defence player, thereby gradually building technological competences.
A highly effective way to achieve this is participation in the IDA Bootcamp 2025, a platform designed to connect investors with institutions responsible for Poland’s security in the broadest sense. It should be underlined that the use of dual-use firms is a global trend: NATO’s 2030 strategy identifies dual-use as a foundation of the Alliance’s future strategic advantage, launching the NATO Innovation Fund and the DIANA programme.
The European Union has also taken action, establishing the Digital Europe programme with a budget of €7.9 billion to support the development of dual-use technologies. This makes it clear that in this sector, the cost of products can often be considerably lower than similar solutions developed strictly within the traditional defence industry. Today – and this must be strongly emphasised – the real challenge for the defence sector will be to deliver products at scale, at the lowest possible cost, while maintaining operational performance in combat conditions.
The successful integration and use of dual-use technologies in the defence industry will still require time and sustained effort – but the first steps have already been taken. Notably, smaller countries than Poland, such as Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, are already dynamically developing and investing in this area of their domestic industries.
For this reason, Poland – with its significant intellectual, structural, and financial potential – must create the right conditions (including deregulation) for the rapid development of this branch of the economy, especially given its direct impact on the growth of the wider defence industry.
