The global balance of power is being rewritten. Military strength is no longer measured solely in tanks and fighter jets, but also in code, algorithms, and advanced materials. Nations that lead in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and autonomous systems will shape the future of global security—and right now, the West is at a tipping point.

Dealroom and the NATO Innovation Fund found that venture capital investment in European defense, security, and resilience startups surged to a record $5.2 billion in 2024—marking a 24 percent year-over-year increase. This influx of private capital is no accident. It reflects growing recognition that technological superiority is not just an economic advantage—it is a strategic necessity.

Yet, for all this progress, the foundation of Western innovation remains at risk. Intellectual property (IP) protections—the legal framework that fuels discovery and shields it from exploitation—are increasingly under attack, too often dismissed as bureaucratic hurdles rather than the critical assets they truly are.

Strong IP rights are the bedrock of military readiness, economic strength, and geopolitical stability. If the West fails to protect its innovators, it won't just lose ground in global markets—it will cede critical technological advantages to foreign adversaries, weakening NATO and its allies in the conflicts of the future.

This dynamic has historically been a cornerstone of NATO's technological edge. During the Cold War, the innovations that helped the West prevail—stealth technology, integrated circuits, GPS, and satellite communications—emerged from an ecosystem where strong legal protections fostered a culture of entrepreneurship, risk-taking, and discovery. That model must be reinforced, not weakened, in today's strategic environment.

When companies cannot reliably safeguard their inventions, investment in high-risk, high-reward research slows. This issue could particularly effect dual-use technologies that power both commercial and military advancements. Instead of channeling resources into innovation, firms may be forced to redirect capital toward legal defenses, fending off infringement rather than developing the next generation of critical capabilities.

At the same time, the erosion of IP protections may accelerate foreign adversaries' ability to acquire sensitive Western innovations. Case in point: China's well-documented efforts to bypass traditional research and development through cyber espionage, strategic partnerships, and other tactics. Each lost patent, each stolen trade secret, and each weakened protection is not just an economic loss; it is a strategic setback, ceding ground in the race to develop the technologies that will define the future of global power.

Western governments must treat IP protection as a core national security priority. That requires recognizing intellectual property theft is more than a mere trade issue—it is a direct threat to Western technological advantages. NATO members and allies must work together to align legal frameworks, strengthen enforcement mechanisms, and present a unified front against the systematic theft of sensitive technologies.

In an era where software and semiconductors are as critical as steel and oil, Europe and the United States cannot afford to treat intellectual property as an afterthought. IP protections are not just about fairness in commerce; they are the scaffolding of our security. If we fail to defend them, we risk our future.

Mircea Geoană is the former NATO Deputy Secretary General and President of the Aspen Institute Romania. Andrei Iancu served as the undersecretary of Commerce for intellectual property and director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office from 2018 to 2021. He is co-founder and co-chairman of the Council for Innovation Promotion. This piece originally ran in Newsweek.