German laser startup Inleap Photonics raises €20 million for counter-drone systems
Hanover-based Inleap Photonics closed a €20 million seed round led by UVC Partners to scale production of laser-based counter-drone effectors. Additional investors include HTGF, Balnord, Sentris, and Scale Capital. The company plans to use the funding to ramp serial manufacturing and expand across Germany and Europe. Inleap's systems use directed-energy lasers to defeat small drones at close range.
Why it matters: Europe's counter-drone gap is creating a rare laser startup investment case — twenty million euros says someone believes short-range directed energy can ship faster than missile interceptors.
Inleap PhotonicsUVC PartnersHTGFBalnordSentrisScale CapitalGermany Hartpunkt →Militaer Aktuell →