The Munich unicorn Quantum Systems has acquired the Thuringian AI startup Spleenlab and is thereby expanding its technological foundation in the field of artificial intelligence. The company aims to accelerate the development of autonomous mission systems in the air, land, and sea domains through this acquisition.
Expanding AI expertise
Spleenlab specializes in machine learning software that enables perception, GPS-free navigation, and multi-object recognition. This technology is already deployed across several platforms from Quantum Systems, including research projects for the German Ministry of Defence and other government agencies.
The integration also includes Spleenlab’s Visionairy AI Suite, which will become part of the research and development ecosystem of Munich-based startup Quantum Systems. Hardware, software, and AI are to merge into a cohesive system.
Focus on autonomy and research
Florian Seibel, co-CEO and co-founder of Quantum Systems, says:
“The future is unmanned. And it will be shaped by integrating best-in-class hardware with best-in-class software. With the acquisition of Spleenlab, we are expanding our technological capabilities (…). Spleenlab’s AI expertise has shaped and enhanced our battle-proven platforms over many years, and we look forward to further expanding this partnership through Spleenlab joining the Quantum Systems family. Together, we will continue to revolutionize AI autonomy that works in the most demanding operational environments.”
Stefan Milz, co-CEO of Spleenlab, also sees the merger as a logical step:
“Spleenlab was founded to enable true autonomy. After years of successful collaboration, through the merger with Quantum Systems we can leverage proven AI capabilities and deploy them at scale on platforms used in real-world missions.”
Quantum Systems is taking over Spleenlab’s entire team and integrating it into its own AI competence center. This triples Quantum Systems’s software and AI team. The location in Thuringia remains in place, as do research and development activities in Jena. Existing programs and collaborations will continue to accelerate knowledge transfer between research and practice.
Quantum Systems stands across Europe for unmanned ISR systems and autonomous solutions. The company develops military and civilian drone systems that enable reliable aerial reconnaissance through the combination of hardware, AI, and software.
