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Total amount raised
$3.3 Billion
Latest funding date
2026-07-13
Location
Helsing has successfully raised funds over five rounds, with the latest being a $1.8 billion Series E announced in July 2026 and co-led by Dragoneer Investment Group and Lightspeed Venture Partners at an $18 billion valuation. The company is backed by investors including Prima Materia, General Catalyst, Accel, Plural, Iconiq, Goldman Sachs Alternatives, JPMorganChase and CPP Investments.
What Is Helsing?
Helsing is a defense technology company based in Munich, Bayern, Germany, specializing in AI-powered systems. The company focuses on developing autonomous systems and software to enhance military capabilities for democratic nations. With about 900 staff as of mid-2026, Helsing is committed to ethical standards in AI development.
Founded to protect democracies through advanced AI technologies, Helsing offers products including autonomous air dominance systems, AI strike drones, and underwater autonomous systems. The company has raised funding across five rounds, from a EUR 102.5 million Series A in November 2021 through to a $1.8 billion Series E in July 2026 at an $18 billion valuation, and is backed by notable investors including Prima Materia, General Catalyst, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Accel, Plural and Dragoneer Investment Group.
How Much Funding Has Helsing Raised?
- Series A
- Amount Raised: EUR 102,500,000
- Date: November 2021
- Lead Investors: Prima Materia
- Valuation at Round: Not publicly disclosed
- Motivation Behind the Round: To develop AI-powered defense technologies and establish a strong market presence.
- Series B
- Amount Raised: EUR 209,000,000
- Date: September 2023
- Lead Investors: General Catalyst
- Participants: Saab (strategic investor), Prima Materia (existing)
- Valuation at Round: Over EUR 1.7 billion (post-money)
- Motivation Behind the Round: To scale AI and software capabilities for defense applications.
- Series C
- Amount Raised: EUR 450,000,000
- Date: July 2024
- Lead Investors: General Catalyst
- Participants: Accel, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Plural, Saab, Elad Gil, Greenoaks Capital
- Valuation at Round: EUR 4.95 billion (~$5.4 billion)
- Motivation Behind the Round: To boost AI projects, focusing on product development and R&D to secure European sovereignty, particularly protecting NATO's Eastern Flank.
- Series D
- Amount Raised: EUR 600,000,000
- Date: June 2025
- Lead Investors: Prima Materia
- Participants: Lightspeed Venture Partners, Accel, Plural, General Catalyst, Saab, BDT & MSD Partners (new)
- Valuation at Round: EUR 12 billion (~$12 billion)
- Motivation Behind the Round: To advance AI-powered defense technologies, strengthen European technological sovereignty, and expand strategic capabilities across all defence domains.
- Series E
- Amount Raised: $1,800,000,000
- Date: July 13, 2026
- Lead Investors: Dragoneer Investment Group, Lightspeed Venture Partners
- Participants: Disruptive, Iconiq, Goldman Sachs Alternatives (Growth Equity), JPMorganChase, CPP Investments, General Catalyst, Plural, StepStone
- Valuation at Round: $18 billion (post-money)
- Motivation Behind the Round: To scale production of AI-powered defence systems across all domains and strengthen European technological sovereignty.
Total Amount Raised: EUR 1,361,500,000 across the Series A to Series D rounds plus $1,800,000,000 in the Series E, approximately $3.3 billion in disclosed primary funding. As of September 2026, the company's latest disclosed round is its July 2026 Series E.
Current Valuation: $18 billion (per Series E round, July 2026)
Key Investors
- General Catalyst
- Details: General Catalyst is a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage and growth-stage companies. They led Helsing's Series B and Series C rounds and joined the Series E.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology, healthcare, AI-based defense capabilities.
- Notable Investments: Airbnb, Stripe, Snap Inc.
- Prima Materia
- Details: Prima Materia is an investment company co-founded by Spotify founder Daniel Ek and Shakil Khan. It led Helsing's Series A and Series D rounds, with Daniel Ek serving as Chairman of Helsing.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology, innovation, transformative industries, European defence.
- Notable Investments: Not publicly disclosed.
- Saab AB
- Details: Saab AB is a Swedish defense and aerospace company. They joined Helsing's Series B as a strategic investor and have continued participating through subsequent rounds.
- Investment Focus Areas: Defense, aerospace, advanced technology.
- Notable Investments: Various defense and aerospace projects, including partnerships with Helsing.
- Accel
- Details: Accel is a global venture capital firm that partners with exceptional founders across all stages of private company growth. Accel participated in Helsing's Series C and Series D.
- Investment Focus Areas: Consumer, enterprise, financial technology.
- Notable Investments: Facebook, Dropbox, Slack.
- Lightspeed Venture Partners
- Details: Lightspeed Venture Partners is a multi-stage venture capital firm focused on accelerating disruptive innovations. Lightspeed participated in Helsing's Series C and Series D rounds and co-led the $1.8 billion Series E in July 2026.
- Investment Focus Areas: Enterprise, consumer, disruptive innovations.
- Notable Investments: Snapchat, Nest, GrubHub.
- Dragoneer Investment Group
- Details: Dragoneer Investment Group is a San Francisco based growth-oriented investment firm. It co-led Helsing's $1.8 billion Series E in July 2026.
- Investment Focus Areas: Technology and technology-enabled growth companies.
- Notable Investments: Not publicly disclosed.
What's Next for Helsing?
Helsing raised $1.8 billion in its Series E in July 2026 at an $18 billion post-money valuation, co-led by Dragoneer Investment Group and Lightspeed Venture Partners, with Iconiq, Goldman Sachs Alternatives, JPMorganChase, CPP Investments, Disruptive, StepStone, General Catalyst and Plural participating. The company plans to use the capital to scale production of its AI-powered defence systems across all domains and to strengthen European technological sovereignty.
The round follows the EUR 600 million Series D of June 2025 at a EUR 12 billion valuation, taking disclosed primary funding to roughly $3.3 billion. With about 900 staff, Helsing continues to build on work including the Defence Manufacturers Alliance with Ukraine, the German Eurofighter Electronic Warfare upgrade, and the YAM-6 satellite node deployment. Rapidly evolving security threats, competition from other AI and defense technology companies, and complex regulatory requirements remain constraints on that expansion.
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