The German defense startup Helsing raises $1.8 billion – underlining its status as the most valuable German startup.
The race among German defense startups continues: The Munich defense company Helsing has raised $1.8 billion in a Series E round – at a valuation of $18 billion. This means the company is now worth more than the German Lufthansa AG (market value of $12 billion) and the most valuable German startup.
Read too
Helsing develops software and AI for defense, i.e. systems that are intended to make military technology such as drones, aircraft or other weapon systems smarter and more precise.
Helsing can thus underline its status as a German decacorn, i.e. a startup with a valuation of over 10 billion US dollars. It last raised $600 million in June 2025 and was valued at around $12 billion.
Read too
Particularly exciting: It was only at the beginning of July that Helsing’s largest competitor, Quantum Systems, completed a Series D round worth 1.2 billion US dollars. The Munich defense startup is also working on AI-controlled drones. The company founded by Florian Seibel doubled its value to $8 billion.
Also in the German Defense Club: the Berlin startup Stark Defense by Uwe Horstmann. In June 2026 it raised 500 million euros in a Series C. Stark therefore has a valuation of 3.5 billion euros.
Read too
Old and new investors are investing in the Helsing round: including Dragoneer Investment Group, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Disruptive, Iconiq, Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, JPMorganChase, CPP Investments, General Catalyst, Plural and Stepstone.
Investor demand is said to have significantly exceeded the available volume of the round. The aim is to use the new money to develop completely new AI platforms and integrate them into the defense capabilities of partner countries.