SE50 — Scaling Europe
Home / Dispatches / Funding

Helsing secures €1.1B at €16.5B valuation to scale AI defence software

Funding · Scaling Europe · 11 May 2026
Helsing secures €1.1B at €16.5B valuation to scale AI defence software

Helsing banked €1.1B ($1.2B) in a growth round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners. The financing includes participation from Dragoneer Investment Group and reportedly values the German defence firm at €16.5B ($18B), marking a significant escalation in private capital flowing into European military infrastructure.

The Munich-based company develops AI software designed to provide battlefield commanders with real-time information processing and autonomous capabilities. Its platform integrates data from sensors on vehicles, aircraft, and drones to create a unified tactical map, enabling faster decision-making in high-intensity combat scenarios.

Helsing has secured major government contracts since its inception in 2021, including a partnership with the German Ministry of Defence to supply AI-enabled electronic warfare capabilities for the Eurofighter. The company also supports front-line efforts in Ukraine through its Project 42 initiative, providing drone technology that functions without GPS in jammed environments.

The massive valuation highlights a shift in Europe’s venture landscape, where dual-use and defence technologies have moved from the periphery to becoming a central pillar of sovereign industrial strategy.

Originally reported by Tech Funding News.

Originally reported on source.