Amper acquires Zeleros' assets to boost defence energy systems
What's the deal? Spanish technology and defence group Amper has acquired the assets and technological capabilities of Zeleros, the Valencia-based hyperloop startup. The deal strengthens Amper's position in dual-use energy storage and high-power electromagnetic systems for military applications.
Zeleros developed advanced propulsion, energy storage, and electromagnetic technologies originally aimed at building a European hyperloop system. Those capabilities now transfer to Amper's defence portfolio.
Why now? Europe's defence spending is surging as governments race to modernise military capabilities. Dual-use technologies — those with both civilian and military applications — are increasingly attractive to defence contractors looking to gain an edge. Zeleros' electromagnetic and energy storage tech fits squarely into that demand.
For Zeleros, the hyperloop dream proved difficult to commercialise on its original timeline. Selling its assets to a defence-focused buyer offers a second life for the technology.
What could go wrong? Integrating startup-developed technology into a large defence group's operations is never straightforward. The tech was designed for civilian transport, not battlefield use, and adapting it for military-grade requirements could take time and investment. There's also the question of whether Amper can retain the specialised talent behind Zeleros' innovations.
The signal: This deal reflects two converging trends. First, Europe's defence sector is hoovering up dual-use technologies as military budgets expand. Second, deep-tech startups that struggled to find commercial traction — particularly in capital-heavy sectors like hyperloop — are finding exits through defence acquirers hungry for their IP.
Expect more deals like this as defence primes and mid-tier contractors snap up advanced technologies from startups that couldn't reach scale on their own.
Read more: grupoamper.com
