European Defense Startups Expand And Attract AI Engineers

A recent report shared by Reuters revealed that more European engineers and tech workers are now interested in joining defense startups within the region rather than in the United States. Ongoing global events have fueled a sense of patriotism among talent, leading many to prioritize European job opportunities over higher-paying roles in North America.

According to Reuters’ exclusive, European governments have been boosting military investments. Tech companies such as the French defense startup Comand AI, and the German drone technology company Alpine Eagle have recently raised over $10 million in funding.

While the use of advanced technology for military purposes raises serious ethical concerns, its development continues to grow and attract investor interest. The war in Ukraine and the current geopolitical landscape have contributed to the sector’s rise.

A few months ago, Ukraine announced that it had gathered over 2 million hours of battlefield footage to train AI models, and multiple countries in the European Union—led by Germany—have raised concerns about cyberattacks performed by Russian military intelligence. Political tensions in the United States under President Donald Trump’s administration have also contributed to a shift toward developing advanced battlefield technologies.

Reuters interviewed over 20 engineers, investors, and government officials to understand the influx of tech talent in the region.

“There are people that are really mission-focused, and what they want to do in their life is to have an impact and not only earn a big salary,” said Loïc Mougeolle, CEO of Comand AI, to the news agency. “They’re really motivated to have an impact rebuilding Europe and change the course of history for Europe.”

A recent report published by the data company Zeki, the State of AI Talent Report, the number of AI engineers in Europe has been significantly growing, as well as in defense companies.

Despite the high salaries in the U.S., European engineers prefer to live close to home. Trump’s recent cuts to university funding and the political interference have also influenced scientists’ decisions to move to Europe.

“For me it is important if I do research in defence that I am protecting European democracies,” said German doctoral student Julian Dierkes to Reuters.

Europe’s defense unicorn Helsing pays an AI engineer around $150,000 per year, while companies like Palantir pay $270,000 and Google $380,000 in the U.S.

“Many of the world’s top AI researchers come from Europe. Some went to the U.S., but many are returning to work on European sovereignty, resilience, and long-term value creation,” said Jeannette zu Fürstenberg, managing director at U.S. venture capital firm General Catalyst in Berlin.  “I think that’s a powerful signal.”