Entreprises de défense en France

Develops laser light-shaping technology for optical ground stations, free-space laser communications and directed energy weapons for space and defence markets.

Develops radio frequency counter-drone systems for armed forces, government institutions and critical infrastructure operators, covering detection, identification and neutralisation of hostile UAVs.

Builds fixed-wing surveillance and reconnaissance drones for military, border security and government customers, with production based entirely in France.

Builds naval mine countermeasures systems, inertial navigation technology, autonomous maritime vessels and photonics instruments for defence, maritime and aerospace operators across 80+ countries.

Open-source cyber threat intelligence and adversarial exposure validation platforms used by 6,000+ organisations worldwide, from national intelligence agencies to global enterprises.

Builds autonomous drones, synthetic aperture radar payloads and counter-UAS intercept systems for NATO governments, with vertically integrated manufacturing in France.

Designs, owns and operates spacecraft to provide inspection, life extension and end-of-life services for geostationary satellites, using autonomous vision-based navigation technology.

Builds the Zephyr small launch vehicle and Navier engines in France to deliver dedicated orbital access for small satellites from European spaceports.

Reusable micro-launcher for European sovereign access to space, developing Maia rocket. ArianeGroup subsidiary.

AI-powered analysis of satellite and aerial imagery for defence intelligence. Now Safran AI after acquisition by Safran Group in 2024.

World leader in full-stack photonic quantum computing, developing hardware, middleware, and software for industrial applications including energy, cybersecurity, and finance.

Provides offensive and defensive cybersecurity services and software protection tools for software manufacturers, government agencies and defence organisations.

Builds post-quantum cryptography software that helps governments, financial institutions and critical infrastructure operators inventory their cryptographic assets and migrate to quantum-resistant encryption.

Builds neutral-atom quantum processors for industrial optimization and simulation. Partners with MBDA on defence optimization and Thales on satellite mission planning, backed by France's Defence Innovation Fund with over €340 million in financing.

Autonomous VTOL reconnaissance drone network providing persistent surveillance capability. Raised EUR4.6M.

Builds a SOC platform combining extended detection and response (XDR) with cyber threat intelligence for European enterprises and government organisations.

Develops network firewalls, endpoint protection and data encryption products for European defence, government and critical infrastructure organisations, as a subsidiary of Airbus CyberSecurity.

Open-source collaborative cybersecurity engine using crowd-sourced threat intelligence to block malicious activity in real time.

Network detection and response platform providing deep packet inspection for military networks and critical national infrastructure.

Builds cloud-native software for satellite command-and-control, pass orchestration and ground station monitoring.

Builds sovereign European video intelligence software that detects threats, anomalies and security incidents in real time for defence, law enforcement and critical infrastructure operators.

Designs and markets highly integrated mixed-signal semiconductors, including data converter chips and custom SoCs, for defence and aerospace, communications and test and measurement applications.

Extended detection and response (XDR) cybersecurity platform protecting enterprise and defence endpoints against advanced threats.

Builds space surveillance and situational awareness services that track satellites, catalogue debris and prevent in-orbit collisions for satellite operators and government space agencies.

Designs and manufactures waterproof, inflatable maritime mini-UAVs for ISR and search-and-rescue missions in naval, coastal and high-humidity environments where conventional drones cannot operate.

Builds drag sails and solar sails for satellite deorbiting and deep space propulsion.

Builds endpoint detection and response software for European enterprises and government agencies, with cloud and on-premises deployment options certified by ANSSI and the German BSI.

Operates a LEO satellite constellation that detects radio frequency signals from ships at sea, tracking dark vessels that disable AIS transponders to avoid detection.

Alta Ares builds AI-powered defence autonomy systems, spanning interceptor drones, ISR video intelligence, MLOps tooling and autonomous guidance software for unmanned platforms.

Designs manycore processor chips and PCIe acceleration cards for AI inference, 5G packet processing and storage acceleration in data centres and edge deployments.

Ballistic protection company manufacturing modular body armour, vehicle armour kits, and anti-riot gear. Supplies the French DGA, Gendarmerie, and forces in 13+ countries.

Integrated circuit reverse engineering and hardware security lab specializing in backdoor detection, data extraction from black-box chips, and IC forensics. Serves government and defence supply chain security through its ChipJuice software and Le Lab facility in Sophia Antipolis.

Smallsat constellation manufacturer providing sovereign communications and earth observation platforms for defence and government.

Anywaves builds space antennas, RF payload electronics and software-defined radio products for satellites, launchers and mission-critical spacecraft communications.

Predictive attack intelligence using behavioral AI. Advanced threat detection and prevention for critical infrastructure protection.

Next-generation AI command and control systems for defence operations, combining defence expertise with world-class AI capabilities.

Space defence company developing Interceptor - the first air-launched spacecraft capable of removing dangerous objects from space in less than 24 hours. Founded by former MBDA and Thales missile engineers to intercept, capture and dispose of satellites, space debris, or potential threats in orbit.

AI-first startup specializing in artificial intelligence and deep reinforcement learning to develop learning and autonomous systems for aerospace, space, and defence applications.

Builds fully automated drone inspection systems for civil and military aircraft, cutting full airframe inspection time to under one hour.

French sovereign drone electronics manufacturer building flight controllers, ESCs, and complete FPV platforms. Products include the Uriel tactical FPV drone at EUR 500 and the SIDE reconnaissance drone, all designed without foreign component dependencies for NATO forces.

Builds mass-deployable drone interceptors for counter-UAV and counter-USV missions. Founded in 2025 by former MBDA engineers, raised €8M seed from Eurazeo and Expeditions to develop AI-driven, low-cost effectors priced at a fraction of traditional air defence missiles.

Global leading manufacturer of automated tethered drone systems for persistent surveillance and emergency communications, providing continuous aerial presence up to 100m for hours.

ELWAVE designs, manufactures and sells electromagnetic detection, navigation and characterization systems based on innovative "electric sense" technology for underwater and industrial robotics.

Optronic surveillance systems for defence and homeland security, including day/IR cameras, automated turrets, and an integrated C-UAV system combining radar, optronic sensors, and non-lethal effectors. Based in Milhaud near Nimes.

A biopharmaceutical company specializing in developing emergency immunotherapies using polyclonal antibody technology to combat biological threats, emerging infectious diseases, and bioterrorism agents.

AI-powered malware analysis and cyber threat detection platform specializing in rapid automated binary analysis.

MANITTY develops advanced wearable technologies that bring hospital-grade monitoring to the field. Their DeepMo solution is a lightweight, AI-powered device that continuously tracks vital signs and brain activity, detects early signs of deterioration, and provides autonomous triage aligned with NATO standards.

Develops AI-based military simulation and wargaming software. Its SWORD platform is used by 25 armies worldwide including NATO, the French Army, Royal Navy and Finnish Defence Forces for command post staff training and operational planning.

Develops anti-drone jamming systems and counter-RCIED solutions from its microwave and nanotechnology expertise. Its NEROD-RF rifle jammer is fielded by French armed forces, and the SPART intelligent jammer equips French Navy commandos.

Develops quantum cascade lasers and photoacoustic gas sensing modules for defence, security, industrial and environmental monitoring applications.

Manufactures quantum deformation sensors using nanoparticle technology for ultra-sensitive strain detection. Provides quantum sensing solutions for structural monitoring.

Develops neuromorphic computing solutions for frugal AI applications in defence and aerospace. Creates brain-inspired computing systems for energy-efficient AI processing.

Develops non-lethal law enforcement technologies and crowd control solutions. Provides advanced non-lethal weapons and security equipment for law enforcement agencies.

Manufacturer of the NX70 micro reconnaissance drone, with over 440 units delivered to the French armed forces. Designs and produces sub-1kg military UAVs with encrypted datalinks at its facility in Aix-en-Provence since 2006.

Oledcomm is a French pioneer and world leader in optical and photonic communications, specializing in LiFi technology. Their solutions provide secure, interference-free wireless communication for military and defense applications in environments where radio waves are not suitable, offering high-speed optical wireless communications as an alternative to traditional RF systems.

ANSSI-certified encrypted messaging app used by the French Ministry of Armed Forces and RAID special police unit. Mandated by the French Prime Minister's office in 2023 as the replacement for WhatsApp across government.

Mobile security platform protecting enterprise and defence mobile device fleets against advanced mobile threats and data leakage.

Manufactures chemical and biological threat detectors using proprietary flame spectrophotometry technology. Its AP4C detector family is deployed in over 70 countries by military CBRN units, first responders and airport security forces.

Provides radiofrequency monitoring and security solutions for detecting, locating, and analyzing radio wave emitting devices to protect against drones, jamming, and data theft threats.

Designs and manufactures underwater acoustic systems, autonomous underwater vehicles and mine countermeasures equipment for navies, research institutes and commercial maritime operators.

Builds ground robots for firefighting, explosive ordnance disposal and defence logistics, deployed across civil security services and armed forces in 15+ countries.

Industrial technology company that designs and produces innovative high-performance materials using the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) process for aerospace, defence, luxury goods, and industrial sectors.

European cybersecurity startup specializing in internet invisibility technology through their VIPN (Virtual & Invisible Private Network) system, making users, devices, and data invisible to prevent cyber attacks.

Designs and manufactures mini-ROVs, USVs and underwater camera systems for marine inspection and defence. Twice awarded Best Defence SME by the French Ministry of Defence, with hull inspection and harbour security systems deployed across multiple countries.

Direct-to-device satellite communications startup developing Golden Modulation technology for ultra-long-range, GNSS-free resilient connectivity. Partnered with Eutelsat, exhibited at Eurosatory 2024, and selected for French Tech 2030 by the Agence de l'Innovation de Défense.

Modular lithium battery manufacturer producing custom high-density packs for defence, robotics, and subsea applications. Supplies Thales Alenia Space and ALSEAMAR special forces underwater vehicles from its factory in Annonay, France.

Solar-powered autonomous UAV manufacturer. The SolarXOne flies up to 12 hours carrying 5-8 kg sensor payloads for ISR missions, with near-silent operation below 42 dB and BVLOS range of 80 km. Selected for French Tech 2030 by the Agence de l'Innovation de Défense.