German drone maker Quantum Systems has raised <\/span>\u20ac160mn at a valuation north of \u20ac1bn, becoming Europe\u2019s latest defence tech unicorn.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Quantum Systems builds electric, AI-powered autonomous surveillance drones that are dual-use, meaning they can serve both military and civil purposes.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Defence forces can use the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to spy on enemies and gather intel. The drones can also be used by farmers to inspect their crops, by energy companies to check power lines, and by search and rescue teams to look for survivors.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Florian Seibel, co-CEO and co-founder of Quantum Systems, said the company was ready to become the European leader in \u201crobotised and AI-powered aerial intelligence solutions\u201d for both defence and civilian app<\/a>lications. \u201c<\/span>The need for sovereign, aerial intelligence has never been more pressing,\u201d he added.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Open AI, Cherry Ventures Datasnipper, Monzo, bunq & many more confirmed for TNW Conference 2025<\/p>\n Join 1000s of founders, investors and innovation champions in Amsterdam on June 19 & 20.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The latest funding round, led by the UK\u2019s Balderton Capital, brings Quantum Systems\u2019 total capital raised to $284mn (<\/span>\u20ac<\/span>250mn), according to Dealroom data. The round also saw participation from <\/span>Airbus Defence and Space, Bullhound Capital, and existing angel investor Peter Thiel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Quantum Systems has already secured several major defence contracts, including with the German, Spanish, and British armed forces. Its flagship drone, the Vector AI, has been tested in Ukraine, which has become a <\/span>major battlefield testing ground<\/span> for dual-use technologies.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Tekever is another European startup that has surveillance drones in active deployment in Ukraine. Founded in Portugal, the dual-use firm recently raised \u201ctens of millions\u201d in fresh capital at a valuation \u201cbeyond $1bn (<\/span>\u20ac<\/span>882mn),\u201d its CEO, Ricardo Mendes, told the <\/span>Financial Times<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Similarly to Quantum Systems, soldiers use Tekever\u2019s long-distance UAVs to cover vast areas and carry out reconnaissance. <\/span>Its drones have also been used to search for small-boat migrant smugglers in the English Channel and monitor pipelines in Nigeria.<\/span><\/p>\n Quantum Systems and Tekever are both benefiting from a surge in European defence tech investment. This growth is partly fueled by rising security concerns \u2014 driven by Russia\u2019s aggression and the Trump administration\u2019s warning that it may cut US military support to Europe.<\/span><\/p>\n Defence tech startups in Europe raised $613mn (<\/span>\u20ac<\/span>540mn) in venture capital in 2024, the largest value ever recorded, according to Dealroom. The bulk of those funds was <\/span>secured by just one company<\/span> \u2014 Germany\u2019s Helsing.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n Defence tech is a key theme of the Assembly, the invite-only policy track of <\/span><\/i>TNW Conference<\/span><\/i><\/a>. The event<\/span><\/i> takes place in Amsterdam on June 19 \u2014 a week before the NATO Summit arrives in the city. <\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Tickets for TNW Conference are <\/span><\/i>now on sale<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0\u2014 use the code TNWXMEDIA<\/a>2025 at the checkout to grab an exclusive discount.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n
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