News & Podcast

Tracxn Technologies Limited, a leading data analytics platform, has released the “Germany Tech – 9M 2026” report, covering equity funding, exits, and unicorn activity across the German tech ecosystem from January 1, 2026 to September 30, 2026.

European defencetech startups have already raised over €6.6 billion ($7.4 billion) in venture capital in 2026 – nearly three times as much as in the entire previous year, as the new report ‘The State of Defence Tech 2026’ by Dealroom and Resilience Media shows.

With Helsing, a defence tech company tops the list of Germany’s most valuable startups for the first time. The Munich-based company achieves a valuation of 16.6 billion euros in the Hurun Germany Unicorn Index 2026 – just five years after its founding. In total, Germany now counts 38 unicorns with a combined company valuation of 118.9 billion euros.

Two months after initial insider reports, the mega-deal is official: Helsing receives €1.6 billion in fresh capital and achieves a valuation of €16 billion.

Helsing is introducing Area 9, a new research unit for AI and autonomous systems, and presenting RX-1, a robotics research platform developed in Europe. Alongside expanding its research activities, Helsing is also strengthening its management team. Since June, Frank Dirksen has taken on the newly created position of Chief Commercial Officer (CCO).

According to insider reports, Helsing could raise around 1.2 billion dollars in fresh capital and be valued at around 18 billion dollars in the process. This would make the Munich defencetech company not only one of Europe’s most valuable AI startups, but probably also the highest-valued German startup ever. We spoke with Arno Eggers, head of Munich Startup, about the possible mega-deal.

Mega-constellations are considered the next major step in space exploration – but for Daniel Holle from Helsing, competition is decided not in space but in software, as he made clear at the Munich Space Summit. The Munich defense AI specialist argues that only AI and fast software cycles make operating thousands of satellites manageable at all.

Munich remains a unicorn hotspot: based on a current evaluation of our Munich Startup Insights, we show you which startups have crossed the billion-euro valuation mark. Click through the unicorn gallery and discover the most exciting scaleups in the city right up to true icons of the scene.

Expanding maritime defense program: Helsing and Australian marine technology startup Blue Ocean merge.

Helsing and Arx Robotics form a strategic partnership to develop “an AI-based reconnaissance and effects network system for European defence”.

Munich-based defense tech company Helsing raises 600 million euros in its Series D funding round. The strategic financing is designed to strengthen Helsing’s leadership in innovations across all areas of defense.

Munich startup Helsing acquires Bavarian aircraft manufacturer Grob Aircraft. The goal is to jointly develop advanced solutions for future air combat.