FRANCE: From space to defence, NANOXPLORE scales up with a €20 million funding round

For more than a decade, NanoXplore has operated in the discreet yet strategic field of high-reliability electronic components for the space industry. Its radiation-hardened FPGAs have gradually found their way into major European programmes, where robustness and technological control are absolute prerequisites. This positioning, long confined to a demanding niche, is now providing the foundation for a broader growth trajectory.

The company is entering a new phase by directing a growing share of its business towards defence applications. This represents a logical extension of technologies that have already been tested in demanding environments. Defence shares the space industry’s requirement for mission-critical reliability, while introducing additional constraints related to security, energy consumption and integration into complex operational systems.

Modern military systems increasingly rely on embedded, reconfigurable and resilient computing capabilities. Drones, ground platforms, aircraft and naval systems incorporate advanced software functions, sometimes including artificial intelligence, strengthening the role of programmable components at the heart of their architectures. In this environment, NanoXplore’s FPGAs are finding applications well beyond the space sector.

The diversification into defence also requires the company to adapt its existing technologies. Its components must meet more stringent requirements in cybersecurity, data protection and ultra-low power consumption, while retaining the robustness on which NanoXplore has built its reputation. The company aims to offer secure FPGAs that can be integrated into systems deployed across a range of operational theatres, where usage and maintenance constraints differ considerably from those encountered in space.

This industrial shift forms part of a broader restructuring of European defence supply chains. Dependence on non-European components, long accepted, is now attracting greater scrutiny amid geopolitical tensions and the tightening reach of extraterritorial regulations. In this context, NanoXplore’s ability to rely on an entirely European, ITAR-free supply chain represents a differentiating factor for manufacturers and public authorities.

MBDA’s investment in the company also brings detailed knowledge of the operational requirements and industrial constraints associated with European weapons systems. This proximity could help narrow the gap between technological development and real-world applications in a sector where qualification and deployment cycles remain lengthy.

Beyond developing new products, NanoXplore has broader ambitions for growth across Europe. Critical microelectronics remains a fragmented sector, with expertise and industrial capabilities dispersed across the continent. Backed by this new funding, the company intends to pursue a targeted acquisition strategy to expand its technology portfolio and strengthen Europe’s industrial base in an area increasingly regarded as strategic.

Founded in 2013, NanoXplore has announced a €20 million funding round from MBDA and the French Defence Innovation Fund, whose investors include the French Defence Innovation Agency and which is managed by Bpifrance. The investment is intended to support the company’s diversification into defence and its broader European growth strategy.