Defence AI unicorn from Germany – Helsing has closed €450 million in Series C financing. This follows the $223 million Series B funding raised back in 2023. The recent funding is said to value the company at $5.4 billion.
The round was led by General Catalyst, which recently backed the HR tech unicorn Factorial, with participation from Elad Gil, Accel, which invested in epilot this week, Saab, Lightspeed, which backed Stability AI and CuspAI, Plural, and Greenoaks.
Funds utilisation
The funds will be used for product development and R&D with a particular focus will be on capabilities to secure European sovereignty, including protecting the NATO Eastern Flank.
Jeannette zu Fürstenberg, MD and Head of Europe at General Catalyst, said: “Since its inception, we have been able to watch the Helsing team execute with a great sense of urgency to build AI-based defence capabilities for European democracies. I have deep conviction that Helsing is on the path to becoming a global category leader. As we witness battlefronts on European soil for the first time in decades, we believe the role of companies like Helsing has never been more critical.”
AI software for defence
Founded in 2021 in Munich, Germany by Niklas Köhler, Torsten Reil, and Gundbert Scherf, Helsing operates with a mission to develop software-based capabilities aimed at safeguarding democracies. The company leverages AI and software to facilitate swifter and more precise decision-making while optimising data usage at tactical, operational, and strategic levels.
According to the company, its real-time software platform processes data from multiple sensors directly on vehicles and systems, offering an integrated operational environment view to enhance decision-making speed and accuracy.
One of Helsing’s ambitious initiatives, Project Centaur, aims to revolutionise air combat. Announced in June, the project develops autonomous capabilities for existing and future air systems like Loyal Wingman and FCAS. Using reinforcement learning and foundation models, Centaur has already impressed human pilots in early tests.
In a joint statement, the company’s three founders said: “European security is at a crossroads and Helsing will play a significant role in giving democratic societies the ability to deter and defend. But speed is of the essence. This new funding round allows us to further up the tempo and invest in large-scale R&D and capabilities across all domains.”
What do we think about Helsing?
The German defence AI company is poised for significant impact with its recent funding. Valued at €5.4 billion, Helsing’s AI-driven capabilities enhance European defence, particularly NATO’s Eastern Flank. With strong backing from General Catalyst and others, the company’s ambitious Project Centaur and real-time software platforms signal a promising future in safeguarding democracies and revolutionising defence operations.
