Europe awakens the need to invest in defense, as do European VCs. But with a painful story of Soviet professions, Lithuania did not expect the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to reach its third anniversary to commit to 5% to 6% of its GDP in military spending – and finance defense operations.
Lithuania VC Fund Investment capital He was a pioneer in this respect and is still a divergence that did not require cases of political use. ‘We were the first in the area [to be] Fully authorized to invest defense in March 2023, “said Viktorija Trimbel, its administrator from February 2023.
Unlike many Lithuanians, Trimbel is not tall at all. But what is missing from basketball, offset energy and relentless, especially when it comes to supporting innovation in defense technology to enhance Europe’s security.
Unmanned Defense Systems (UDS), a Vilnius -based company focused on the optimization of “Chill Chain”, received Coinvest’s largest investment in this area, but is not the only one. According to Trimbel, the AEKENIA Fund has invested about € 6.8 million (about $ 7.37 million) in aerospace, defense and dual -use starts since 2023.
Compared to the billions of dollars flooding with US technology companies, the amount may not sound very impressive. This is if you do not consider it per capita, which people often urge you to do in this small Baltic country of 2.89 million inhabitants.
Co-creation is another idea often emphasized by Lithuania, as well as coinvest. As his name implies, the Early Stage Fund co-accurately in support of newly established businesses with business angels and other VCs. For early stage agreements, adopted a covers profit distribution structure This trimbel is particularly passionate.
As a member of the Board of Directors of the Lithuanian business network Angel (Litban), which now has 324 members, it is especially willing to see smarter money to flow on the market. While the collective value of Lithuania’s starting ecosystem increased 39 times in 10 yearsThe country is still lacking as an exit as harmful as Skype was for Estonia.
Still, liquidity events, such as the secondary sale of Vinted, had a drip effect and Trimbel believes that coinvest can multiply these euros quickly. When it came out of the Interactio after just 18 months, its rules reinforced the returns of angels investors from 9x to 34x. “I think it was one of the factors that facilitated an explosive development of the angel ecosystem ecosystems,” Trimbel said.
And in defense technology, Trimbel lead the success of others to secure capital. Coinvest’s only limited partner, Lithuania’s National Development Bank, also provided “large capital injections into other local VCs such as BSV Ventures or Scalewolf, including [the] Lithuanian contribution to NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), “she famous In LinkedIn.
Similarly, Trimbel is pleased To see governments across Europe embrace the tendency of “investing in deterrence and defense to further support the competitiveness and durability of European countries”.
This is a need that Lithuania knows very much, often deeply personally. “When I was 18, I saw with my eyes, the Russian tanks that kill people. So for us, it’s not a manual story,” Trimbel said, referring to 1991 January events in which the Soviet army attempted to suppress Lithuania’s independence.
The trauma of Soviet domination that is deeply rooted in the collective memory of Lithuania extends far beyond 1991. “It is something that every family has experienced in one way or another: possession, deportations, murders. We do not need to teach why we have to invest in defense.”
Still, from the war in Ukraine, there is a renewed sense of urgency and solidarity. The 2025 version of RadarA public campaign of concentration of funds for Ukraine, collected More than 5.6 million € For aircraft and anti-Drone systems, including UDS. Trimbel approved it, urging, “Ukraine’s support now … and any other day until the victory”.
Like almost all Lithuanians, Trimbel remembers where it was when Russia began its full invasion of its eastern neighbor on 24 February 2022. A few days earlier, she was abroad with her two daughters and discussed if they had to return as signs of war to her.
Cat or no cat, Trimbel would probably return to Lithuania in every way. She points out that her name, Viktorija, or victory, is a good struggle for her relentless personality. The cycle of her friends is also up to the exchange rate: “Instead of going to the bar and discussing a new bag or a dress or lipstick, we go to the shooting range,” he said with a smile.
Of course, not everyone reacts in the same way – it is only human to experience a reflection of flight or freezing. Immediately after the war, however, it aimed to take others out of this paralysis, encouraging them to take practical steps. One of them was to participate in volunteer initiatives that have gained steam throughout Lithuania.
The most iconic organization in this area is the non -profit union of Lithuanian Lithuanian Lithuanian Riflest (Hare). While dedicated to defense and reinforcement of Lithuania, its activities extend beyond military training: along with coinvest and others, the Hackathon Fire Shieldwhich will return in 2025 for a third edition.
This is the context in which Trimbel is depicted above, along with the Commander of the Union, Lieutenant Colonel Linas Idzelis (with uniform) and retired Mr. Valerijus Šerelis, former Commander of Special Business not-that country sent to support NATO allies in Afghanistan after 9/11.
LRU also contributed to political reaction during Covid-19 pandemic, as did Trimbel, who invested efforts in a Ventilation Protection Program. “Covid was a good rehearsal to mobilize society in times of threat,” he said. For her, this threat has changed now, but it is very real.
But even now, Trimbel cares about areas other than defense technology, as well as coinvest. Talked with enthusiasm of portfolio boot Hike15 and the upcoming ”Bristle“A hiking outdoors with dogs to encourage people to take more steps to be more active – literally.
However, as he wrote in recent LinkedIn post“No other investment yields will matter if Ukraine will not receive sufficient support from allies and Europe will invade further.” As her name and personality suggest, she will not retreat to her efforts to prevent this outcome.
