Meet Helsing, a company founded in 2021 by an unlikely trio: gaming visionary Torsten Reil, former German Ministry of Defence advisor Gundbert Scherf, and tech strategist Niklas Köhler. Their mission? Not to build bigger tanks or faster jets – but to bring AI and autonomous capabilities to the battlefield, making militaries smarter, faster, and far more agile.
And now, with Germany’s historic €500 billion defence fund in play, Helsing may be the most important defence company in Europe, and this spring, it is launching production in Estonia.
While traditional defence giants poured billions into hardware, Helsing took a radically different approach: military-grade artificial intelligence. Their platform processes chaotic battlefield data in real time, producing intuitive, game-like visualisations for commanders on the ground.
“Working together on defending democracies is crucial, especially in this time and place.”
Sten Tamkivi, co-founder of Plural venture firm
It’s a software-first strategy that dramatically enhances existing military systems but recently, Helsing has started producing affordable and mass-producible hardware – intelligent systems that are still cheap enough to produce in big numbers. The production of its AI-guided HX-2 drones started last year.
Proving grounds: Ukraine
Helsing’s technology isn’t just theoretical. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the company has deployed personnel and AI systems directly to the front lines.
Ukrainian forces have used Helsing’s software to identify and neutralise Russian targets with unprecedented speed and precision. As one defence analyst put it, “The war in Ukraine is proving that software, not hardware, will determine future conflicts. Helsing understood this before anyone else.”
These battlefield lessons have fuelled rapid development – and even faster funding.
For years, Europe´s defence capabilities were often dismissed, but a quiet revolution is underway. At the heart of it is a Munich-based startup that´s rewriting the rules of warfare using algorithms and precision mass. Photo: Helsing
Despite its moderate size – just 500 employees across Germany, France, and the UK – Helsing has quickly become Europe’s most valuable defence tech startup with nearly €800 million raised in just 3 rounds over 3 years. Among others, the latest investment round led by General Catalyst also included the Tallinn-based venture firm Plural, founded by the early-stage Skype executive Sten Tamkivi and Wise co-founder Taavet Hinrikus.
Estonia: the Baltic Beachhead
“Philosophically, Estonians think about how to defend the country every day,” says tech entrepreneur Sten Tamkivi. He adds that the war spurred him and his partners to tap their €800 million investment platform Plural for defence projects and others that support European sovereignty.
“We never came into this saying we want to do defence, but growing tension on NATO’s eastern flank is tactile,” Tamkivi adds, noting a growing number of defence pitches and foreign investors scouring for opportunities in the sector. “Working together on defending democracies is crucial, especially in this time and place,” he concludes.
“Protecting NATO’s eastern flank is a mission of critical importance, while the security challenges we face as an alliance are evolving rapidly. Delivering robust deterrence requires not only the latest technological advancements but also strong collaboration between government and industry.”
Gundbert Scherf, co-CEO of Helsing
Now, Helsing is expanding eastward. As part of a joint initiative with the Estonian Ministry of Defence, the company is investing €70 million to expand operations in Estonia and the Baltic region – including new production facilities.
“The new security environment in Europe requires decisive action from governments and the defence industry to lead in the development and deployment of modern defence capabilities,” says Estonia’s Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur. “Helsing’s decision to bring part of its operations to Estonia is also a recognition of Estonia’s commitment to strengthening national defence and providing a favourable environment for defence technology companies.”
The partnership is built around AI-driven enhancements to Estonia’s defence systems – including software-defined reconnaissance and strike capabilities – as well as cooperative testing of emerging technologies.
The production of its AI-guided HX-2 drones started last year. Photo: Helsing
“Protecting NATO’s eastern flank is a mission of critical importance, while the security challenges we face as an alliance are evolving rapidly. Delivering robust deterrence requires not only the latest technological advancements but also strong collaboration between government and industry”, says Scherf, co-CEO of Helsing.
He adds: “We are proud to partner with Estonia, a nation that has consistently demonstrated leadership in embracing cutting-edge technologies. Together, we can develop AI capabilities in the field of defence that will strengthen both the Estonian Defence Forces and the entire alliance.” Gundbert Scherf also became an e-resident to be able to sign off important decisions remotely with the secure Estonian state-backed digital ID.
Germany’s €500B game-changer
Helsing’s future is directly tied to Germany’s unprecedented decision to unlock over €500 billion in defence spending. This is not just about tanks and jets. Germany has clearly signalled a pivot toward rapid modernisation through software – Helsing’s specialty. Now, with the floodgates open, Helsing is uniquely positioned to become one of Europe’s key defence players.
In the US, defence-tech titans like Palantir, Anduril, and Shield AI are redefining modern warfare. Helsing is Europe’s answer – a lean, mission-driven company whose founders openly state their goal is to “protect democratic societies”. In doing so, they’ve built not just software, but a new military paradigm: one where defence is driven not by brute force, but by algorithmic advantage.
As NATO’s eastern border grows ever more volatile, and as American support for Europe wavers, Germany’s €500 billion investment is more than strategic – it’s existential. And Helsing stands at the centre of it all.
This content is funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
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