Key takeaways
- GROUND A raised €9.1 million in pre-seed funding led by Vsquared Ventures, with Quantum Systems among the participants.
- The funding will support industrialisation of the GA 1000 laser-based counter-drone system and modular series production in Germany.
- A further funding round is planned for 2027 to expand production capacity.
German defence technology startup GROUND A raised €9.1 million in pre-seed funding to bring its laser-based counter-drone system closer to market and prepare for series production, the company announced in September.
The funding will support a broader counter-drone and air-defence product platform designed for deployment across European and allied forces.
Vsquared Ventures led the round, with participation from venture capital firms Robin Capital, Global Resilience Innovation Fund, ABACON, Leblon Capital and OVNI Capital. Defence technology company Quantum Systems also invested, alongside a personal investment from Quantum’s co-founder Florian Seibel. Additional angel investors include Sven Kruck, J14 Capital, Andreas Nauerz, Marlon Braumann and Stefan Roebel of ARX Robotics.
Founded in January 2026, GROUND A said it had moved the GA 1000, its main laser system, from prototype into testing and validation within months. The system combines radar and other sensors with computer vision, proprietary artificial intelligence and laser technology to detect, classify and track small drones. A human operator retains the decision to engage a target.
With a footprint the size of a Euro pallet, the company says the system is designed to be mobile and integrate with existing air defence and command-and-control systems, as well as land-, sea- and air-based platforms. The company has not named a confirmed defence customer or contract in its announcement.
The funding will support the industrialisation of the GA 1000, development of GROUND A’s wider product platform and the establishment of modular series production in Germany. The company said a further funding round was planned for 2027 to significantly expand manufacturing capacity.
“Europe needs effective counter-drone solutions that not only work technologically but can also be industrialised quickly and made available in large numbers,” said Dr. Tobias Brune, CEO and co-founder of GROUND A. He described the GA 1000 as the beginning of a broader product platform.
Benedikt von Schoeler, general partner at Vsquared Ventures, said effective and cost-efficient counter-drone systems were becoming critical to European security. He highlighted mobility and rapid deployment as important requirements for protecting civilian infrastructure and responding to military threats.
The investment comes as European defence forces and critical infrastructure operators seek ways to counter the growing threat from relatively inexpensive drones. Laser-based systems offer one approach alongside electronic jamming, guns and interceptor drones or missiles, with different technologies suited to different operational conditions.
GROUND A said its goal was to build a scalable counter-drone capability for Germany, NATO and allied nations. Its announcement did not identify a confirmed government customer, operational deployment or contract.
