Defense AI Startup Helsing Moves Into Hardware Manufacturing After $1.2 Billion Fundraise

Munich-based Helsing raised $1.2 billion at $18 billion valuation, led by Dragoneer Investment Group and Lightspeed Venture Partners. The company is transitioning from pure AI software to manufacturing drones, aircraft, and submarines. This shift reflects a broader pattern in defense technology: AI-first startups integrating hardware production to optimize software-hardware integration for autonomous systems, where millisecond response times demand tight coupling.