Munich's SE3 Raises $30M to Revolutionize Autonomous Defense

Jan de Vries · 2026-11-12

SE3, a Munich-based startup, just raised $30 million in Series A funding to bring spatial intelligence to autonomous defense systems. The round was led by Accel, with participation from Keen, Lakestar, and Seedcamp. This is big news for Europe's defense tech scene, and it could shape how autonomous systems operate in complex environments. ### What SE3 Does SE3 is building the spatial intelligence layer that lets machines perceive, reason, and act autonomously. Think of it as the brain that helps drones and ground vehicles understand their surroundings, even when GPS is jammed. The technology combines computer vision and AI to turn sensor data into a 3D picture of the environment. It's platform-agnostic, meaning it can work with drones and vehicles from different manufacturers. ### Why It Matters Europe's defense spending is surging. The EU plans to mobilize $870 billion by 2030, including a "Drone Wall" to protect its eastern flank. In Ukraine, where SE3 is already deployed, large drone fleets and electronic warfare make human supervision impossible. Autonomy is no longer a nice-to-have—it's essential. And spatial intelligence is the key to making it work. > "Working in defence means our technology has to deliver under pressure in the field. We keep that responsibility front of mind in everything we do." — Lukas Köstler, CEO and co-founder of SE3 ### The Team Behind It SE3 was founded in 2023 by Lukas Köstler (CEO), Simon Klenk (CTO), and Professor Daniel Cremers (Chief Science Officer). The company spun out of Cremers' computer vision lab at the Technical University of Munich, where Köstler and Klenk were pursuing PhDs. Cremers holds TUM's chair for computer vision and AI and is a recipient of the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize—Germany's most prestigious research award. With that kind of pedigree, it's no wonder Accel led the round. ### What's Next SE3 plans to use the fresh capital to grow its engineering, commercial, and operations teams. It also aims to strengthen its presence in Germany and Ukraine, open an office in the UK, and expand across Europe. While defense remains the immediate focus, SE3 will explore robotics, emergency response, and other civilian applications from 2027. ### How the Technology Works SE3's software acts as a spatial-intelligence layer for unmanned systems. It connects drones and ground vehicles from different manufacturers, fuses their sensor data into a shared 3D picture, and enables full spatial awareness. The software intelligently operates the swarm, optimizing behavior, routes, and positions based on terrain understanding. Operators can command everything via voice, and the software runs entirely on edge—so systems stay operational even in contested environments. ### Built for Defense Procurement SE3 designed its tech for the realities of defense procurement. It's modular and interoperable, aligning with the Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) and Germany's MOSABw program. These frameworks make it easier for armed forces to combine systems from different suppliers. That drives demand for neutral, independent software that integrates across platforms without competing with manufacturers' vehicles. ### The Investor Perspective Matt Robinson, Partner at Accel, said, "With exceptional talent from one of Europe's leading research departments, the SE3 team is uniquely qualified to take on the challenge of building spatial AI for autonomous systems." Strong words, but given the team's background, it's easy to see why Accel is excited. SE3's raise is a sign of the times. European defense tech is heating up, and spatial intelligence is at the heart of it. If SE3 can deliver on its promise, it could become a key player in Europe's autonomous defense future.