Stark Defence has secured €500 million in funding, led by Sequoia and Founders Fund, with a valuation exceeding €3.5 billion.

Stark Defence has secured €500 million in funding, led by Sequoia and Founders Fund, with a valuation exceeding €3.5 billion.

      **TL;DR** Berlin-based drone startup Stark Defence has secured €500 million in funding, led by Sequoia and Founders Fund, raising its valuation to over €3.5 billion just two years after its establishment. The funding round included other investors such as the NATO Innovation Fund and Döpfner Capital, and will be primarily used for manufacturing and research expansion. Stark specializes in loitering munitions, with its main product, the Virtus, already in use in Ukraine. CEO Uwe Horstmann, a founding partner at Project A and reserve officer in the German Armed Forces, is steering the company, which now has raised a total of over €660 million. This funding follows Germany's awarding of contracts for kamikaze drones to Stark and competitor Helsing. Despite political sensitivities surrounding Peter Thiel's involvement, funding for European defense tech rapidly increases, driven by government spending, with Stark needing to scale production to meet military demands and compete effectively with rivals like Helsing and Quantum Systems. Stark's valuation has skyrocketed from $500 million in August 2025 to over €3.5 billion, and its future success will hinge on its ability to meet production requirements amid a competitive market.

Other articles

Brexit after ten years: seven Prime Ministers, a 6% reduction in GDP, and an escalating cost. Brexit after ten years: seven Prime Ministers, a 6% reduction in GDP, and an escalating cost. Ten years following the Brexit referendum, a study by the NBER reveals that the UK economy is 6-8% smaller than it would have been had it remained in the EU. There have been seven prime ministers, a decline in the value of the pound, and a looming demographic challenge. LastPass reports that customer data was compromised due to a supply chain breach involving Klue. LastPass reports that customer data was compromised due to a supply chain breach involving Klue. LastPass informed its customers that personal information and support cases were compromised following a breach at Klue, where hackers exploited stolen OAuth tokens to gain access to Salesforce. Google's dominance is being challenged in the era of AI. Google's dominance is being challenged in the era of AI. Google continues to dominate 90% of the search market and has recently reported record revenue; however, the departure of talent, the emergence of ChatGPT, and antitrust actions are diminishing its standing. Your $2,000 premium phone merits premium protection. Your $2,000 premium phone merits premium protection. High-end smartphones are designed to attract attention while stretching the boundaries of innovation and costs. However, safeguarding them shouldn't entail sacrificing their attractiveness. This Prime Day, PITAKA is simplifying that decision. Stark Defence secures €500 million in funding, spearheaded by Sequoia and Founders Fund, with a valuation exceeding €3.5 billion. Stark Defence secures €500 million in funding, spearheaded by Sequoia and Founders Fund, with a valuation exceeding €3.5 billion. Berlin-based drone manufacturer Stark Defence secured €500 million from Sequoia and Founders Fund, giving the two-year-old kamikaze drone startup a valuation exceeding three billion euros. HaloBraid secures $7 million to develop the first robotic hair braiding assistant for salons. HaloBraid secures $7 million to develop the first robotic hair braiding assistant for salons. HaloBraid secured $7 million in funding, led by Alexis Ohanian's firm Seven Seven Six, to develop a robotic assistant that completes braids in seconds for salon professionals.

Stark Defence has secured €500 million in funding, led by Sequoia and Founders Fund, with a valuation exceeding €3.5 billion.

Berlin-based drone manufacturer Stark Defence secured €500 million in funding from Sequoia and Founders Fund, which places the two-year-old kamikaze drone startup's valuation at over three billion euros.