S

Stark

Defence · Berlin, Germany · Founded 2024

Stark, trading as SKD SE, is a German defence technology company established in 2024 by Florian Seibel, Uwe Horstmann, and Johannes Schaback to address operational demands highlighted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The company specializes in AI-enabled, software-defined unmanned systems designed for multi-domain military operations for clients such as the German Bundeswehr and other NATO states. Seibel previously founded the drone company Quantum Systems, while Horstmann, who was appointed CEO in October 2025, is a founding partner at venture capital firm Project A and a reserve officer in the German Armed Forces. The company's product portfolio includes loitering munitions, unmanned surface vessels (USVs), and command and control (C2) software. Its flagship product is the OWE-V Virtus, a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) loitering munition capable of carrying a 5 kg warhead. Other products include the Minerva mission control software suite, which allows for strike coordination in environments where GPS or data links are degraded, and the Vanta line of USVs for maritime reconnaissance and strike missions. Stark has also developed the Gambit and Cascade loitering munitions. The company emphasizes rapid innovation by incorporating direct feedback from military operators in the field. Stark has demonstrated significant growth, backed by substantial funding from investors including Sequoia Capital, Founders Fund, and the NATO Innovation Fund. A June 2026 funding round raised €500 million, bringing the company's valuation to over €3.5 billion. Over 80% of this capital is designated for expanding research, development, and manufacturing capabilities, with a focus on electronic warfare and scaling production to thousands of systems per month. The company has secured major contracts, including a framework agreement with the German Bundeswehr for its Virtus drones. Stark is expanding its physical presence with a production facility in Munich, a 40,000 sq ft factory in the UK, an R&D hub in Ukraine, and locations in Greece and Sweden. The company has also made strategic acquisitions, including autonomous navigation software startup Pleno and AeroMass Technologies, a firm specializing in supply chains for defence equipment production. Keywords: unmanned systems, loitering munitions, defence technology, AI-enabled defence, command and control software, unmanned surface vessels, VTOL drone, European defence, NATO supplier, Bundeswehr contractor, OWE-V Virtus, Minerva software, Vanta USV, Florian Seibel, Uwe Horstmann, Johannes Schaback, Sequoia Capital, Founders Fund, NATO Innovation Fund, multi-domain operations, reconnaissance, strike capabilities, AI-powered strike drones, kamikaze drones, drone swarms, electronic warfare, military hardware, German defence startup