Remarks

Thank you so much, and good morning to all of you.
Presidents, Prime Ministers,
Ladies and gentlemen,
And thank you for coming here to sign this Letter of Commitment for the new NATO Innovation Fund.

This fund is unique. 
It is the world’s first multi-sovereign venture capital fund ever.
Investing 1 billion euros in early-stage start-ups, 
and other deep-tech funds across 22 participating nations.
Harnessing the best of new technology for transatlantic security.
Maintaining our technological edge has helped to keep our Alliance strong and our nations safe for more than seventy years.

But today, nations that do not share our values, like Russia and China, are challenging that lead.
In everything from Artificial Intelligence to space technologies.
It is essential that we do everything in our power to remain at the forefront of innovation and technology.
This Fund, alongside DIANA, NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic, will help to do just that.
With a 15-year timeframe, the NATO Innovation Fund will help bring to life those nascent technologies that have the power to transform our security in the decades to come.
Strengthening the Alliance’s innovation ecosystem.
And bolstering the security of our one billion citizens.

So I want to thank you all for the hard work to make this Fund a reality.
And now I will invite you to sign the Letter of Commitment.
Thank you.