Hypersonica is dedicated to defending Europe through hypersonic missiles and announces two major milestones on the way. A Series A funding round of €23.3 million and a successful first hypersonic test flight. The company, founded in 2023, is based in Wessling and operates a wholly-owned subsidiary in London. Initially, the TUM Venture Labs supported the startup.
Plural led the funding round. The Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovations (Sprind) also participated, along with existing investors General Catalyst and 201 Ventures. With the fresh capital, Hypersonica is accelerating its roadmap and plans to begin full-scale flight tests in the first quarter of 2026. The company aims to address demand from NATO member states for high-precision strike capabilities.
The two Hypersonica founders Philipp Kerth, CEO, and Marc Ewenz, CTO, explain:
“Europe is at a critical juncture where speed in defense innovation is no longer optional but essential. Our mission is clear: to equip Europe with the technological advantage it needs and wants to defend itself against military aggression with maneuverable hypersonic systems and protect the democratic values that unite our societies.”
Rafael Laguna de la Vera, director of Sprind, says:
“Sprind has a proven track record of bridging the valley of death for breakthrough technologies from lab to production. Our decision to invest in Hypersonica reflects our confidence in the exceptionally strong team and the steady progress it has made in the challenging physics of hypersonic flight—a capability that will contribute to Europe’s defense autonomy while also laying the groundwork for future autonomous access to space. By investing early as a state actor in strategically relevant innovations, we demonstrate public sector support and catalyze the flow of private capital and industrial partnerships.”
Stepwise toward operational capability
At Andøya Space in Norway, Hypersonica completed its first hypersonic test flight. As Europe’s first privately-funded defense company to achieve this, the team reached this technological milestone. The prototype accelerated to over Mach 6—more than 7,400 kilometers per hour—and achieved a range of over 300 kilometers.
By 2029, Hypersonica aims to develop a hypersonic strike capability. The team is pursuing a stepwise approach with successive test flights. Within nine months, the startup achieved conception, design, procurement, integration, and ground testing as well as export control, regulatory compliance, flight safety, and range operations.
