Defense technology startup Helsing raises $1.8B at $18B valuation
German defense technology startup Helsing SE today announced that it has closed a $1.8 billion Series E investment.
The capital was provided by a group of 10 new and returning investors. JPMorganChase, General Catalyst, Lightspeed and Iconiq were among the participants. Helsing says that it’s now valued at $18 billion.
Helsing’s flagship product is an autonomous jet aircraft called the CA-1 Europa. It’s 36 feet long with a maximum takeoff weight of four tons. According to the company, the drone has a relatively affordable design that lends itself to high volume manufacturing.
The CA-1 Europa’s autonomous flight features are powered by a software platform called Centaur. Last year, Helsing tested the software by having it fly a fighter jet over the Baltic Sea. The company says that Centaur successfully completed two test flights alongside a second, human-piloted plane that acted as a simulated opponent.
