Helsing Raises $1.8 Billion in Record European Defense Funding Round

Jul 14, 2026
German defense company Helsing has secured $1.8 billion in a Series E funding round, valuing the firm at $18 billion and marking the largest defense startup investment in European history.

Germany’s Helsing has raised 1.8 billion dollars in what Defense News reports is Europe’s largest funding round for a defense technology startup. The Series E round values the Munich based company at 18 billion dollars and attracted demand far exceeding available shares.

Helsing said it remains mostly European owned after the raise. New and existing investors participated, including Lightspeed Venture Partners and General Catalyst. The company’s board continues under co chairmen Daniel Ek and Tom Enders along with co founders Gundbert Scherf, Niklas Köhler and Torsten Reil.

The funding will support further development and integration of new AI platforms for defense operations. Helsing’s current offerings include the HX 2 strike drone, the Altra software suite for battlefield operations, and design concepts such as the CA 1 autonomous fighter jet. The company works with major partners including Rheinmetall, Kongsberg and Saab.

The new capital follows a string of large investments across Europe’s growing defense technology sector. Similar rounds this year have included Quantum Systems with 1.2 billion dollars and Stark with 570 million dollars, both based in Germany.

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