The Mobilisation of German Industry
Issue 15: Our industry panel at Munich Security Conference proved very timely, dispatches from the Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum, and our first readership survey

Good afternoon from the team at Resilience Media
When we partnered with the US Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to produce The Future of Defence Tech Manufacturing & Innovation event during Munich Security Conference, we wanted to influence European industry to get behind defence. With that in mind, we welcomed the news that Volkswagen has finally entered the defence production arena. You can read about our panel Industry and the Incumbents, which featured the world-leading ship builder, Fincantieri, the German engineering association, VDMA, and Boston Consulting Group, who overwhelmingly agreed NATO is not ready for war and shared how they are all working to fix it. More here.
Our Ukrainian correspondent, Oleksandr, attended the Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum where security was so tight that the tiny scissors from his travel first aid kit were confiscated. More on that and the founders he met on the ground there in our Dispatches From section below.
We want to hear from you! Our first readership survey is live. Your feedback will shape how and what we publish, so please follow the link to tell us your thoughts. The survey will be open for two weeks.
-Leslie, co-founder, Resilience Media
In its second year, the Kyiv International Cyber Resilience Forum gathered the leading experts and practitioners of cybersecurity in the capital of Ukraine, itself now a major cyber battleground.
The forum adopted a broad definition of cyber resilience. It included conventional topics such as defence against cyber sabotage, but also broadened into information warfare and digital transformation in regional governance. The audience included Ukrainian government officials, military officers, foreign diplomats, startup founders, researchers, and, most importantly, Ukrainian cybersecurity professionals, whose battle-hardened experience is now a source of valuable learning for the sector. Read more here.
As we grow Resilience Media, we want to make sure we’re covering topics that you want to hear about. Please take 3 minutes to answer our reader survey to share your feedback. We really appreciate it. The survey can be found here.
Technology and National Security Conference, co-hosted by MIT Sloan and Harvard Business School: April 4-5 2025, Boston. This year’s theme, “Adapting in a New Era of National Security,” underscores the urgency of responding to rapid geopolitical shifts and technological advancements. From the conflict in Ukraine to rising tensions in the Middle East and China’s growing influence, the global security landscape demands adaptation across battlefields, the defence industrial base, and public and private sectors. Progress has been made, but much work remains. Together, we must rise to the challenge. Ticket link: https://lnkd.in/e8tA_t73
Resilience Conference 2025: Coming back to London on September 29-30, we have a limited number of early bird tickets for sale at the link below. If you want to sponsor the event, please get in touch with our team.
AI
Advanced attack drones for Ukraine in new deal struck by UK government and Anduril UK
Saildrone, Palantir partner to use AI to streamline USV manufacturing, operations
Funding
Bankers Race to Catch Up with EU Defense Goals in Stunning Reset
Europe
German arms maker Rheinmetall has record sales in ‘Era of Rearmament’
Lithuanian defense minister: Only way to negotiate with Russia is with a ‘gun on the table’
Manufacturing
Defense companies jack up Germany’s auto industry to make weapons fast
Volkswagen Wants to Produce Weapons and It’s Actually Halfway There
Startups
12 Defense Tech Startups to Watch in 2025, according to VCs
Estonia’s Startups See Opportunity in Europe’s Rush to Rearm