Helsing secures $1.8B Series E, valued at $18B

Helsing, a Munich-based European defense AI startup, has raised US$1.8 billion in a Series E funding round that values the company at US$18 billion. The round ranks among the largest ever for a European startup and the biggest in the region's defense technology sector. New and existing investors participated, including Dragoneer Investment Group, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Iconiq, Disruptive, Goldman Sachs Alternatives and other global growth funds, underscoring strong international appetite for defense AI and autonomous systems.

The company develops artificial intelligence-powered systems and software for military and defense applications, including autonomous and semi-autonomous drone and sensor platforms used by European armed forces. Helsing plans to use the new capital to accelerate research and development in AI-enabled defense technologies and expand its product deployment across Europe and allied markets. The $18 billion valuation positions Helsing as one of Europe's most valuable defense tech companies and a central player in the continent’s effort to build sovereign next-generation military technology in response to rising security spending and geopolitical tensions.