This Week's Dealflow: Portal Biotech, Clearspeed, Senra
Plus: Chinese mosquito drones, a new Israeli defense tech VC fund- and more!
For 1 July 2025, here are the dual-use deals, investors, and news we’re covering:
Portal Biotech Raises $35M Series A
UK-based Portal Biotech announced that it has $35M in series A funding. The round was led by the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), in its first investment in a biotechnology startup, and Earlybird Venture Capital. Also investing were SCVC, Pillar VC, 8VC, Amino Collective, and Outsized, as well as new investors We Venture Capital, British Business Bank and WS Investment Company (Wilson Sonsini’s venture arm).
Portal is developing portable, AI-powered diagnostic devices capable of detecting pathogens at the single-molecule level. Unlike traditional lab-based systems, its platform is designed for field deployment. It aims to offer rapid, on-site identification of biological threats, which is important for defense and national security applications.
Does Your Defense Tech Start-Up Need a Fractional CMO?
The global defense tech industry is unlike any other — and successful marketing to defense tech buyers requires functional marketing expertise and an understanding of sector dynamics that is often hard to find — and afford.
That’s why defense tech start-ups use fractional CMO and Business Development solutions from Mooring Partners. We provide immediate growth impact — without killing your budget.
Contact Andrew Goldsmith (agoldsmith[at]mooringpartners.com) to learn more.
Clearspeed Secures $60M in Series D Funding
Clearspeed announced it has secured $60 million in Series D funding, bringing the company's total funding to $110 million. The round was led by Align Private Capital, with participation from IronGate Capital Advisors, Bravo Victor Venture Capital, and KBW Ventures. General David H. Petraeus (US Army, Ret.) also joined as a multi-round investor.
Founded in 2016, Clearspeed provides voice-based risk assessment using voice analytics technology that identifies potential risks using vocal characteristics. Developed for the U.S. Department of Defense, Clearspeed now has commercial, government, and military agency customers.
Senra Raises $25M Series A Round
Senra Systems announced a $25 million Series A led by Dylan Field and CIV, with participation from General Catalyst, Sequoia Capital, Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, 8VC, and Pax Ventures. Senra is developing a set of software-based tools to improve wire harness manufacturing, a key part of the defense and aerospace supply chain.
This Week’s Investors:
8VC
Align Private Capital
Amino Collective
Andreessen Horowitz
Bravo Victor Venture Capital
British Business Bank
CIV
Earlybird Venture Capital
Founders Fund
General Catalyst
IronGate Capital Advisors
KBW Ventures
NATO Innovation Fund (NIF)
Outsized
Pax Ventures
Pillar VC
SCVC
Sequoia Capital
We Venture Capital
WS Investment Company
Contact Us
To be featured in an upcoming issue or to share a press release, contact agoldsmith[at]mooringpartners[dot]com.
Portal's play seems like the exact kind of edge we'll need if biothreats continue to escalate. Also wild to see something as 'boring' as wire-harnessing pull of a round with that cap table. Good to see that VC gets that logistics wins wars. Do you think that now that these startups have become involved with NATO and Sequoia, they'll be able to continue their small-scale vitality and scale into the industrial base, or just get caught in the red tape?