German drone manufacturer Quantum Systems raised EUR160mn with a valuation of north of EUR1bn. It is now Europe’s newest defence tech unicorn.
Quantum Systems produces electric, AI-powered autonomous drones for surveillance that can be used for both military and civilian purposes. Defence forces can use unmanned aerial vehicles to spy on their enemies and gather intelligence. Drones can be used by farmers for inspecting their crops, energy companies to check the power lines, or search and rescue teams looking for survivors.
Florian Siebel, cofounder and co-CEO of Quantum Systems, stated that the company is ready to become Europe’s leader in “robotised AI-powered aerial Intelligence solutions” for both civilian and defence applications. “There has never been a greater need for aerial intelligence, especially in a sovereign state,” he said.
According to Dealroom data, the latest funding round led by UK’s Balderton Capital brings Quantum Systems total capital raised up to $284mn ($$250mn) The round also included participation from Airbus Defence and Space (Bulhound Capital), and existing angel investor Peter Thiel.
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A story from our wise old founder Boris and some questionable AI artwork. Every week, it’s in your inbox for free. Sign up today! Quantum Systems, which has been in business since 19659014, has already secured major contracts with the German, Spanish and British armed services. Its flagship drone Vector AI has been tested in Ukraine. This country has become a major battlefield testing ground for dual-use technology .
Tekever, another European startup, has surveillance drones active deployment in Ukraine. Ricardo Mendes told the Financial Times that the dual-use company was founded in Portugal and recently raised “tens” of millions in new capital. Its valuation is “beyond” $1bn.
Similar to Quantum Systems’ long-distance UAVs, soldiers use Tekever’s UAVs for reconnaissance and to cover large areas. The drones were also used to monitor pipelines in Nigeria and search for small boats smuggling migrants in the English Channel. Quantum Systems and Tekever both benefit from a surge of European defence tech investments. This growth is partly driven by the rising security concerns — a result of Russia’s aggression, and the Trump administration’s warnings that it could cut US military aid to Europe. According to Dealroom,
defence tech startups in Europe raised $613mn in venture capital by 2024. This is the highest value ever recorded. The majority of these funds were secured by only one company — Germany’s Helsing. The Assembly, an invite-only policy track at TNW Conference (), is a major theme in defence tech
. The event will take place in Amsterdam, on June 19, a week before NATO Summit. Tickets for TNW Conference are nowon sale– use the code TNWXMEDIA2025 to get an exclusive discount.
