The Estonian Defence Forces (EDF) have signed a three-year cooperation agreement with defence-focused investment fund Archangel to connect military requirements with technology companies and investors in Estonia and the wider Baltic region.
EDF’s Force Transformation Command commander, Major Ivo Peets and Archangel founder and managing partner Nicholas Nelson signed the agreement at the Annual Baltic Conference on Defence (ABCD) conference on 24 September 2026.
Under the arrangement, Archangel will assess companies and investment opportunities in the Baltic defence technology sector.
The EDF will provide input on operational requirements and technology development, while both parties will support opportunities for companies to test and develop systems in Estonia where appropriate.
The cooperation is intended to improve information flows between the military, defence technology businesses and sources of capital. It will also support the development and adoption of technologies relevant to defence needs, according to the announcement.
Peets said: “Cooperation between the Defence Forces and the defence industry helps us build a shared understanding of needs, technology and opportunities. We welcome the opportunity to work with Archangel and to strengthen the links between innovation, investment and the development of defence capabilities.”
Founded in 2025, Archangel is an early-stage defence technology investor that focuses on founders in the UK, Baltic states and Nordic countries, providing funding alongside industry support and connections to defence and technology partners.
The fund said the agreement with the EDF will bring defence requirements, technology companies and investment sources into closer contact across Europe.
Nelson said: “Archangel was founded to support the development of Europe’s defence technology ecosystem. Working closely with the Defence Forces helps us better understand the needs of users and support companies as they develop and scale.”
The agreement was announced against a backdrop of scrutiny over Estonia’s defence procurement.
Earlier this month, Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur resigned over an arms deal for Ukraine involving EU funds and a company with no track record of making artillery shells.
