Ground A, a German defence-tech startup developing a laser-based system to stop small drones, announced on 8 September 2026 that it had raised a €9.1m (about $10.6m) pre-seed round. The company said the round had closed in June, around six months after it was founded in January 2026.
Vsquared Ventures led the round. Defence-tech company Quantum Systems took part, along with venture investors GRIF, Robin Capital, ABACON, Leblon Capital and OVNI Capital, according to Tech.eu. No valuation was disclosed.
The announcement also marked the company's exit from stealth. Ground A said the money would fund further testing and industrialisation of its first product, the GA 1000, and the set-up of a modular series production facility in Germany.
“Today our first system is in the testing and validation phase, on the verge of market launch.”Dr Tobias Brune, CEO and co-founder, Ground A
What Ground A does
The GA 1000 combines radar, multi-sensor fusion, computer vision and the company's own AI software with a high-energy laser in a single system. It is designed to detect, classify and track small, fast-moving drones and to neutralise them within seconds. Ground A said the decision to engage a target stays with a human operator.
The system fits on the footprint of a Euro pallet and, according to Tech.eu, weighs under 200 kg. It runs on stackable, swappable energy modules that four people can carry, so it can operate without fixed infrastructure. Tech.eu reported that it can be integrated into existing air defence and command-and-control systems and mounted on land, sea and air platforms.
Ground A said it had spent its first months on product and technology development. Its prototype has been completed and is now in testing and validation. Chief executive and co-founder Dr Tobias Brune described the first system as close to market launch.
Who invested
Vsquared Ventures, the lead investor, was advised on the deal by law firm GvW Graf von Westphalen, which put the total investment at €9.1m. Quantum Systems, itself a defence-tech company, joined as a strategic backer.
Tech.eu also listed several individual backers and advisers: Florian Seibel, Sven Kruck, J14 Capital, Andreas Nauerz, Marlon Braumann and Stefan Roebel, managing director of Arx Robotics.
Benedikt von Schoeler, general partner at Vsquared, said Ground A "combines this operational flexibility with technological excellence", according to Tech.eu.
What the money is for
Beyond further testing, the funds are earmarked for industrialising the GA 1000 and building modular series production in Germany. Brune told Tech.eu that Europe needs counter-drone systems that work technically and can also be industrialised quickly.
Tech.eu reported that the company is planning its next funding round for 2027, with the aim of significantly expanding production capacity. This pre-seed round is the only funding Ground A has announced so far.
Company website: grounda.de