Helsing Defense Tech Raises $1.2B at an $18B Valuation
Europe’s most valuable defense startup is about to get a whole lot bigger. Helsing, the five-year-old European military drone company, is reportedly close to securing a new $1.2 billion funding round at a valuation of approximately $18 billion, according to the Financial Times. The Helsing defense tech funding round expected to be led by Dragoneer and co-led by existing investor Lightspeed.
This latest raise marks a significant step up from Helsing’s previous round, which closed in June 2025. That deal, spearheaded by Spotify billionaire Daniel Ek, brought in €600 million at an estimated €12 billion valuation roughly $14 billion at the time. In less than a year, Helsing’s value has surged dramatically, cementing its place at the top of Europe’s defense tech landscape.
A Crowded but Unequal Field
Helsing is not the only player in the European autonomous defense space, but it towers above its competitors in investor confidence. German drone maker Quantum Systems raised €180 million in November 2025, landing a valuation above €3 billion. Meanwhile, Lisbon-based Tekever raised £400 million at just over £1 billion. The contrast is stark. With this new Helsing defense tech funding, the company is now valued at many multiples of its closest rivals.
The broader driver is no secret. Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine has become a brutal testing ground for autonomous military technologies, pushing venture capital deeper into the defense sector than ever before. Helsing, Dragoneer, and Lightspeed did not respond to requests for comment.
