Drone maker Quantum Systems raises $1.2B at $8B valuation

Quantum Systems raised $1.2 billion in Series D funding co-led by Blackstone , Airbus, Noteus, and Advent, valuing the company at about $8 billion.reuters+1
Founded in 2015 near Munich, the autonomous drone maker pivoted to military technology after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and now supplies NATO allies.siliconvalleyinvestclub
The company said it plans to scale production, invest in AI, and may merge with attack drone firm Stark, according to Sifted.sifted+1

German autonomous defense startup Quantum Systems announced on Thursday that it has raised $1.2 billion in a Series D funding round, valuing the company at approximately $8 billion on a post-money basis and marking the largest private defense technology financing round in European history.reuters+1

A Rapid Ascent

The round was co-led by Blackstone , Noteus, Airbus, and Advent, with participation from Bond, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Wellington Management, A.P. Moller Holding, Elephant Lake Ventures, and existing backers Balderton Capital and HV Capital.cnbc+2

The Munich-based company, founded in 2015 by Florian Seibel, develops unmanned autonomous systems for air, land, and maritime operations. Its trajectory has accelerated sharply: in 2025, Quantum Systems raised a total of €340 million across its Series C and a subsequent extension, reaching a €3 billion valuation. The new round more than doubles that figure in roughly seven months.resiliencemedia+1

From Ukraine to Global Defense

Originally focused on agricultural and mapping drones, Quantum Systems pivoted toward dual-use military technology following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, becoming one of the few non-Ukrainian drone suppliers whose products remain in active procurement on the front lines. The company now counts NATO allies among its customers and has positioned itself at the center of Europe's defense technology surge.businessinsider+1

According to Sifted, the company is also eyeing an expansion into humanoid robotics and may use part of the new capital to merge with Stark, a related attack drone company that raised €500 million last week.tectonicdefense+1

Scaling Production and AI

Quantum Systems said it will use the funding to expand production capacity, strengthen supply chain resilience, scale delivery across allied markets, and continue investing in software and AI capabilities. The company also plans to accelerate the development of MOSAIC UXS, its command-and-control software platform designed to connect autonomous systems across multiple domains.suasnews+1

The raise comes as European defense budgets continue to grow, with governments across the continent increasing spending on autonomous systems amid sustained geopolitical tensions. According to Reuters, the round is one of the largest private investment rounds to date in a European defense technology company.reuters

Sources (28)