The Dutch institute TNO has entered a strategic partnership with Fortaegis, an Amsterdam-based hardware-based security startup that has recently emerged from stealth mode. Expanding on an existing collaboration, TNO has committed both equity (through TNO Ventures) and long‑term R&D support. Fortaegis plans to bring secure FPGA‑based products to market in late 2025 or early 2026, targeting full custom high‑performance chips by 2028.
Fortaegis uses the intrinsic physical fingerprint of each chip – due to production‑induced micro‑imperfections – to generate unique cryptographic functions. This architecture avoids centralized key storage, improves performance, and enhances resistance to quantum‑based cryptoattacks. The solution is dual‑use, targeting military and civilian applications including drones, autonomous vehicles, telecom infrastructure, energy grids and AI workloads.
