Europe’s strategic answer to innovation gaps in security

With the GSIS Accelerator – powered by Speer Group, the Global Security and Innovation Summit (GSIS) introduced a strategic initiative in 2025 aimed at addressing Europe’s security-related innovation gaps. The programme focused on start-ups developing high-impact technologies in the fields of security, defence, and resilience.

As part of GSIS 2025 in Hamburg, selected start-ups were invited to present their solutions to an international audience of industry leaders, investors, policymakers, and strategic institutions. From more than 200 applications, five young and innovative companies were chosen to pitch their technologies live on stage, highlighting Europe’s strong potential to deliver practical and sustainable security solutions.

The GSIS Accelerator 2025 was supported by Speer Group as exclusive venture partner. Depending on individual assessment, selected companies were given the opportunity to enter an investment process of up to EUR 5 million, subject to due diligence and standard contractual negotiations.

Beyond visibility, the accelerator served as a platform to foster dialogue and collaboration between start-ups, industry, policymakers, and institutions, with a shared objective: strengthening Europe’s security and resilience through innovation.

Reflecting on the programme, Max Büchner, CEO of Speer Group and GSIS Venture Partner, underlined the quality of the participating companies: “The quality of applications shows that Europe has enormous innovation potential. We do not invest in trends but in solutions that strengthen our security in a sustainable way.”