The European Commission and the European Investment Fund (EIF) have joined forces to step up their support to EU's defence and security through the launch of the Defence Equity Facility.The initiative, consisting of €100 million from the European Defence Fund and an additional €75 million from the European Investment Fund, will significantly expand EIF's investment capacity to support, in the next four years, private equity and venture capital funds with strategies covering technologies relevant to defence.This €175 million initiative is expected to attract additional private investments in the funds it supports, thereby mobilising, in total, circa. €500 million in support of European companies.