Quantum Systems Raises $1.2bn and Doubles Valuation to $8bn as Defense Money Floods In
A Munich drone maker deployed across Ukraine, Quantum Systems, has more than doubled its valuation in under a year. Blackstone and Airbus co-led one of the largest European defense rounds on record, and a merger with rival Stark is now on the table.
July 3, 2026 – 7:44 am
Image by: Quantum Systems
Europe has a new defense-tech heavyweight. Quantum Systems, a German maker of autonomous drones, has raised $1.2bn and more than doubled its valuation to about $8bn. This is one of the largest rounds ever for a European defense startup.
The Bavarian company announced the Series D on Thursday. Blackstone, Noteus, Airbus, and Advent co-led it. Bond, Fidelity, Wellington Management, A.P. Moller Holding, and returning backers Balderton and HV Capital also joined. The raise lifts Quantum Systems to roughly €7bn, up from about €3bn late last year.
Quantum Systems builds unmanned systems for air, land, and sea. Its vertical-takeoff drones fly reconnaissance and battlefield intelligence missions. A software layer called MOSAIC UXS ties the hardware, sensors, and counter-drone tools into one network. The company claims it is profitable, with double-digit margins. Revenue doubled to about €300mn in 2025.
This is not a lab experiment. Quantum’s drones flew more than 19,000 missions in Ukraine in 2025, the company said. It has established production across several countries including Germany, Ukraine, the United States, Australia, Romania, the UK, and the Baltics. Founder and co-chief executive Florian Seibel started the firm in 2015. He aims for it to become a “next generation neo prime.”
The new money will fund further expansion, supply chain hardening, market penetration into allied nations, and AI investments. Quantum Systems also has its eyes set on acquisitions. Seibel stated they now have over $1.2 billion in dry powder to execute.
The defense-tech gold rush: This latest round closes a busy year for the sector, with record funding amounts. In Europe, prominent players include rival Munich drone maker Helsing and Stark Defence, both poised for significant raises.
Blackstone’s involvement is noteworthy, as they rarely back drone startups. Their senior managing director David Kaden attributed this investment to a “structural shift in the European defense market.”
Consolidation talk also resurfaces. Seibel co-founded Stark separately in 2024, but restrictions on some Quantum investors prevented them from building strike drones. A press conference reported by Bloomberg left the door open for potential merger discussions.