Helsing Secures €450m for European Defense AI Advancements

German defence software developer Helsing has successfully raised €450 million in funding to accelerate its AI projects. The company, based in Berlin, plans to utilize the funds for product development and research and development, with a specific emphasis on enhancing capabilities to safeguard European sovereignty, including protecting the NATO 'Eastern Flank' of Estonia and Lithuania.

The Series C funding round for Helsing was led by General Catalyst, a prominent investment firm, with participation from Elad Gil, Accel, Saab, Lightspeed, Plural, and Greenoaks. This significant investment underscores the growing importance of AI-based defense technologies in today's geopolitical landscape.

According to Helsing's founders Niklas Köhler, Torsten Reil, and Gundbert Scherf, "European security is at a crossroads, and Helsing is poised to play a crucial role in empowering democratic societies to deter and defend against emerging threats. The new funding round will enable us to accelerate our pace of innovation and expand our research and development efforts across various domains."

Jeannette zu Fürstenberg, Managing Director and Head of Europe at General Catalyst, expressed confidence in Helsing's potential, stating, "Since its inception, we have witnessed the Helsing team's unwavering commitment to developing AI-driven defense capabilities for European democracies. As security challenges evolve, companies like Helsing are essential in safeguarding our collective interests."

Helsing has been actively involved in Ukraine since 2022 and recently established the Defence Manufacturers Alliance in collaboration with the Ukrainian government. The company has secured several government contracts, including the German Eurofighter Electronic Warfare upgrade and the AI infrastructure for the Future Combat Air System (FCAS). Additionally, Helsing has undertaken classified projects in the maritime and land domains, solidifying its position as a key player in the defense technology sector.

The latest funding injection coincides with Helsing's successful deployment of advanced AI capabilities on YAM-6, a satellite node within the Loft Orbital space infrastructure. These capabilities focus on real-time radio frequency signal detection and characterization, paving the way for military-grade Signal Intelligence and Cognitive Anti-Jamming applications.

CEO of Helsing France, Marc Fontaine, highlighted the company's recent achievements, stating, "Our recent demonstrations have showcased the rapid and secure deployment of AI on in-orbit satellites, delivering tangible capability enhancements. Moving forward, our goal is to scale these capabilities and make them accessible to a broader range of European armed forces and governmental entities."

Pierre-Damien Vaujour, CEO of Loft Orbital, expressed enthusiasm about the operational use cases deployed on their space infrastructure, emphasizing the transformative potential of combining AI applications with space technology. The collaboration between Helsing and Loft Orbital signifies a new era of innovation and opportunity in the defense and aerospace sectors.