Investor Profile: Lockheed Martin Ventures — Thesis, Cheque Size & How to Apply

Lockheed Martin Ventures is the corporate venture arm of Lockheed Martin Corporation, one of the world's largest defence contractors, established in 2007 and based in Bethesda, Maryland. It finds technologies that strengthen national security, then helps those startups work with a giant prime contractor. For defence founders, Lockheed Martin Ventures funding can open doors a conventional fund cannot.

Investment thesis

The firm invests in technologies with the potential to shape future mission capabilities, from artificial intelligence and autonomy to quantum computing and advanced materials. Its thesis is strategic as much as financial: by investing early, Lockheed Martin shapes future battlespace capabilities and connects startups with the platforms that matter most.

Sectors and stages

Lockheed Martin Ventures invests from seed through growth stage across defence, aerospace, autonomy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, quantum computing, space, sensors, advanced manufacturing and materials, and microelectronics. Its reach spans the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, Canada, and Australia, with a London office targeting at least $100 million for defence startups in the United Kingdom and Europe.

Fund size and cheque size

Lockheed Martin raised its venture fund capacity from $400 million to $1 billion, its largest expansion since the fund began, to mature critical national-security technologies. Reports in 2026 put total investing since launch at more than $500 million across over 120 companies. Lockheed Martin does not publish a standard cheque size in its own announcements; independent profiles report cheques from $500,000 to $50 million, a reported range, not an official term sheet.

Notable portfolio

The portfolio includes space names such as Rocket Lab and Terran Orbital, satellite company Astranis, and space awareness company Slingshot Aerospace. Other holdings include Q-CTRL in quantum technology, Radiant Nuclear in advanced nuclear power, Venus Aerospace in hypersonic flight, H3X Technologies, which builds integrated electric motors for aviation, and Diffraqtion, a quantum camera spinout from MIT and the University of Maryland. Its 2026 Demo Day also featured Path Robotics.

Partners

Lockheed Martin Ventures is led by Chris Moran, vice president and general manager, a defence veteran with more than 30 years of experience across engineering, programme management, and strategic investment at Lockheed Martin. Sarah Hiza is senior vice president for technology and strategic innovation. The wider team comes from defence engineering, corporate development, and venture capital, working closely with Lockheed Martin's business units.

Programs, credits and perks

The flagship programme is the annual Demo Day, which in 2026, its ninth year, brought 18 portfolio companies together for two days with Lockheed Martin leaders and customers. Breakouts pair venture engineers with company technologists to co-create integration pathways. Beyond Demo Day, the perks are pilots, integration opportunities, and access to Lockheed Martin's network. More than 60 portfolio companies have become its suppliers.

How to apply for funding

There is no public application portal, so learning how to get funding from Lockheed Martin Ventures requires a mission-first approach. Approach through the venture team's published Lockheed Martin channels or a warm introduction from a defence investor, government customer, or existing portfolio company. Show a credible path to mission use: the problem, the technical edge, testing evidence, and a realistic view of security and production constraints. Technology that cannot be integrated inside a defence programme is unlikely to fit.