"The process was extremely onerous. The vetting process took about 10 months, and Mare Liberum underwent reference checks, rigorous due diligence, and spent more than six figures of legal bills to become one of 23 firms to be selected by the Office of Strategic Capital. More than 386 firms have applied for the program since it launched."
"The deal is structured as an up to $150 million loan, where interest accrues but isn't paid back for 10 years. The capital from the Pentagon is meant to serve as an anchor investment, but is contingent on the fund raising another $120 million from private limited partners."
The Department of Defense, through the Office of Strategic Capital and Small Business Administration, allocated $150 million to Mare Liberum's second investment fund in September 2025. This commitment represents part of the Pentagon's broader venture capital strategy launched approximately three years ago, focusing on technologies deemed critical to national security. The vetting process proved rigorous, requiring ten months of evaluation including reference checks, due diligence, and substantial legal expenses. Mare Liberum became one of 23 firms selected from over 386 applicants. The capital structure functions as a loan with accruing interest deferred for ten years, serving as an anchor investment contingent on raising an additional $120 million from private limited partners.
#pentagon-venture-capital #national-security-technology #maritime-technology-investment #strategic-capital-allocation
Read at Fortune
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]