NATO Makes First Biotech Investment

On 30th June 2025, the NATO Innovation Fund announced its first-ever investment in biotechnology, co-leading a $35 million round for UK-based Portal Biotech to strengthen biosecurity defences.

Portal Biotech uses AI-driven protein sequencing and biosensors to detect engineered biological threats and provide real-time field results at the single-molecule level.
The investment is aimed at enhancing NATO’s capacity to monitor, detect, and respond swiftly to potential biological warfare and pandemic risks.
Portal Biotech’s portable instruments can identify any pathogen, including unknown ones, and are designed for continuous monitoring of environments like fields, facilities, or water supplies.
The technology enables high-speed, on-site testing, eliminating the need for large labs and reducing turnaround time from days to hours.