There’s a reality we will’t keep away from: lately, an increasing number of consideration (and funding) has been flowing into the defence sector. Whether or not it’s as a consequence of rising international tensions, advances in autonomous tech, or rising considerations about nationwide safety, defence has turn out to be a sizzling matter for each governments and traders.
For a very long time, Europe didn’t see a lot funding in defence startups in comparison with locations just like the U.S. or China. However that’s clearly altering. Not so way back, the NATO Innovation Fund, a €1 billion enterprise fund backed by 23 member nations, was created to help startups tackling safety and defence challenges with cutting-edge know-how.
On this article, we spotlight a brand new era of defence startups based between 2021 and immediately. From AI-powered decision-making instruments to next-gen unmanned programs, these 10 firms are constructing the applied sciences shaping the way forward for European defence.
Primarily based in London, Arondite is a defence know-how firm creating the core software program and AI programs wanted to help the rise of autonomous applied sciences in trendy defence. Their work focuses on making complicated robotic and autonomous programs interoperable, versatile and safe—serving to navy and safety forces handle the rising flood of information and {hardware} on the battlefield.
Arondite’s instruments are designed to allow moral, human-machine teaming, retaining individuals in management whereas boosting velocity, precision and situational consciousness. By combining experience in AI, {hardware} integration and large-scale technical programme supply, the corporate is constructing a software program layer that connects and coordinates numerous programs throughout missions. Based in 2023, they’ve secured round €10.5 million.
Primarily based in Amsterdam, Avalor AI designs mission-critical synthetic intelligence programs for autonomous defence operations. Their core product, Nexus, supplies multi-domain distributed mission autonomy, enabling unmanned automobiles throughout air, land, and sea to plan, coordinate and execute complicated missions with minimal human intervention. Constructed for real-world navy circumstances, Nexus helps operations in digital warfare-contested environments and integrates with NATO programs for seamless fireplace help, drive monitoring and interoperability.
The platform powers duties comparable to surveillance (ISTAR), strike, relay and decoy missions, all by means of a centralised human-machine interface. With capabilities like real-time object monitoring, harm evaluation, and clever swarm management, Avalor’s software program permits a single operator to handle many unmanned programs throughout domains. Their simulation atmosphere additionally helps operator coaching and idea growth, mirroring real-world circumstances. Based in 2021, Avalor AI has raised €2 million.
Primarily based in Paris, Comand AI supplies superior AI-driven capabilities for command and management in defence operations. The corporate focuses on enhancing human decision-making and operational readiness by means of revolutionary software program options tailor-made to navy wants.
Comand AI’s platform, Prevail, is designed to present armed forces a tactical edge by combining real-time battlefield information, AI simulations, and intuitive planning instruments. It permits customers to generate mission plans in minutes, analyse complicated tactical conditions, and adapt plans on the fly utilizing reinforcement studying fashions. Reasonably than changing human judgment, the software program boosts it, multiplying the velocity and readability of strategic selections. Constructed by a staff of navy veterans and top-tier tech consultants in 2023, Comand AI delivers resilient, user-friendly options able to working even in disrupted or offline environments. So far, they’ve raised €11.5 million.
Primarily based in London, Delian Alliance Industries is a defence firm creating autonomous applied sciences to help the safety wants of Europe and its allies. By combining {hardware} and software program, Delian goals to enhance how defence forces function, providing extra versatile and cost-effective instruments for contemporary navy and civil safety duties.
The corporate focuses on areas like digital warfare, surveillance, navigation with out GPS, and AI-powered communications. Its merchandise embrace autonomous surveillance towers, instruments for drone operations, and programs that assist monitor coastal areas or borders. Delian’s core platform, Strikeweb, brings all these applied sciences collectively, making it simpler to run complicated autonomous missions. Whether or not it’s recognizing forest fires, monitoring motion throughout borders, or gathering intel in troublesome environments, Delian is constructing instruments designed to carry out reliably in real-world defence conditions. Based in 2021, they’ve secured €7.1 million.
Primarily based in Berlin, Helsing provides synthetic intelligence options to help defence operations throughout land, air, sea and subsurface environments. The corporate builds software program that connects with each new and present navy {hardware}, serving to defence forces detect threats, coordinate actions, and have interaction targets extra successfully by means of autonomous programs.
Helsing’s know-how consists of AI-enabled drones, autonomous underwater automobiles, surveillance programs, and software program brokers designed to help plane pilots in complicated missions. Their instruments are constructed with a software-first strategy and are designed to strengthen the capabilities of democratic nations whereas upholding excessive moral requirements. Helsing works intently with governments and defence companions to ensure its know-how matches inside real-world navy wants, whereas remaining clear and accountable in its growth. Based in 2021, they’ve secured roughly €1.36 billion!
Primarily based in Mauguio, NEXSTUN develops revolutionary non-lethal instruments for legislation enforcement and private safety. Their flagship product, the E-Stunglove, is a patented electrical impulse glove designed to assist customers preserve management in high-risk conditions with out inflicting everlasting hurt. Light-weight, moveable and efficient at shut vary, the glove delivers a managed electrical discharge that briefly immobilises a person, providing a safer various to conventional drive in important moments.
The glove is constructed to satisfy strict security requirements, delivering as much as 25 milliamps for 2 seconds, sufficient to induce muscular contraction with out danger of lasting damage or cardiac issues. NEXSTUN’s options had been developed in collaboration with police forces, forensic departments and healthcare professionals, guaranteeing sensible design and accountable use. Their dedication to European high quality and good, linked R&D has helped them place themselves on the forefront of non-lethal tech. Based in 2021, they landed €45 million in funding simply three months in the past.
Primarily based in Paris, Orasio is an AI-powered video intelligence firm that helps private and non-private organisations detect and reply to important occasions in actual time. Their platform transforms video streams into actionable insights—figuring out anomalies, suspicious behaviours, or security threats whereas respecting consumer privateness and complying absolutely with GDPR and the EU AI Act.
Orasio’s know-how can be utilized for every thing from city surveillance and border management to fireside detection and crowd monitoring. It provides real-time alerts, assisted pure language search, and versatile deployment—whether or not on the cloud, on-premise, or instantly on cameras. Designed and hosted solely in Europe, Orasio’s answer stands out for its sovereign, moral strategy to video evaluation, enabling quicker and more practical decision-making with out compromising on information safety or transparency. Based in 2025, they’ve raised €16 million.
Primarily based in Riga, Origin Robotics is a defence know-how firm centered on creating superior autonomous programs that strengthen the operational capabilities of Europe and its NATO allies. The corporate combines cost-efficient {hardware} with high-performance software program to ship options which might be quick to deploy, adaptable, and constructed to satisfy the challenges of immediately’s evolving battlefield.
Amongst its core merchandise are BEAK, a man-portable precision-guided weapon system with a 15 km vary and jamming resistance, and BLAZE, an AI-powered autonomous interceptor designed to detect and neutralise drones. Each programs are constructed with an emphasis on affordability and battlefield effectivity, permitting governments to reply successfully with out incurring extreme prices. Origin Robotics invests personal capital into R&D, enabling quicker growth cycles and fast supply of operational options. Based in 2022, they’ve raised €8.5 million.
Primarily based in London, Roark Aerospace develops autonomous defence programs and operates one of many world’s largest international networks for drone detection and hyperspectral imaging. The corporate’s focus is on enabling real-time situational consciousness by integrating superior sensors, counter-UAS applied sciences, and decision-making instruments right into a single, versatile platform that may be deployed throughout land, air, and sea operations.
Roark’s choices embrace drone detection-as-a-service (DDaaS), counter-drone effectors, drone-for-robot (DFR) deployment capabilities, and chronic imaging options utilizing WAMI (wide-area movement imagery) and hyperspectral sensors. Its Plexus AI system helps automated menace detection and management, whereas the corporate’s edge-based command platform combines frequency scanning, decryption and doppler shift evaluation to trace even essentially the most evasive UAVs. Based in 2022, they’ve raised roughly €57.6 million.
Primarily based in Vilnius, Unmanned Protection Techniques is a defence and aerospace firm centered on designing and manufacturing superior unmanned aerial programs (UAVs) and supporting software program for contemporary fight environments. Their options are constructed round an entire “detect, interact, command” mannequin, protecting surveillance, precision strikes, and autonomous mission management. UDS has turn out to be recognized for delivering resilient and cost-effective know-how that’s been examined in real-world battlefield circumstances.
Key choices embrace FORECASTER, a complicated ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Goal Acquisition and Reconnaissance) drone, and AVENGER 5, a long-range loitering munition platform able to deep-strike missions. These programs are managed by means of SwarmC2, UDS’s software program suite that permits coordinated drone swarming, real-time retasking, and seamless integration with defence programs like SitaWare and ATAK. With options comparable to self-healing networks, GNSS-denied navigation, and intuitive operator interfaces, UDS helps nationwide defence forces with fast-deploying, user-friendly know-how. Based in 2022, they’ve securedover €4.2 million.
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