Hypersonica Raises €100 Million Series B Led by Lightspeed and General Catalyst

German-British defence technology startup Hypersonica has raised €100 million in a Series B funding round co-led by Lightspeed and General Catalyst, as it looks to accelerate the development of its hypersonic deep-strike system and expand manufacturing operations across Europe.

The round also included participation from Plural and 201 Ventures. The latest investment brings Hypersonica's total funding to approximately €126 million, following an earlier €2.5 million seed round and a €23.3 million Series A.

Based near Munich, with an office in London, the company plans to use the fresh capital to conduct additional test flights, advance its weapons development programme and expand its engineering and manufacturing capabilities in Europe.

The expansion is expected to create hundreds of engineering and manufacturing jobs across the UK and Germany.

From concept to Mach 6 in nine months

Founded in December 2023 by Philipp Kerth and Dr Marc Ewenz, Hypersonica is developing hypersonic missile technology for European defence applications.

The co-founders met while pursuing PhDs in hypersonics at the University of Oxford. Kerth is a physicist, while Ewenz is an aerospace engineer. The company received early backing from TUM Venture Labs.

Hypersonica recently announced the results of a test flight involving its HS-1 prototype, launched from Andøya Space in Norway.

According to the company, the prototype reached speeds exceeding Mach 6, equivalent to more than 7,400 kilometres per hour, and travelled over 300 kilometres.

The company says it moved from concept to a flight-ready prototype in just nine months. It also claims that no other privately funded European defence company has achieved a comparable milestone.

The tested prototype was unarmoured, making the flight an important development milestone rather than a demonstration of a fully operational weapon system.

A lower-cost approach to hypersonic development

Hypersonica is positioning its development model around reducing the cost and time required to develop advanced hypersonic systems.

The company claims its approach is 80% cheaper than conventional development methods.

The latest funding will support further engineering work, additional test flights and the development of its deep-strike system. It will also help the company expand its manufacturing capabilities in Europe.

However, the company has not disclosed a per-missile production cost, a confirmed delivery schedule or a named commercial or government buyer.

Lightspeed and General Catalyst lead the round

The investment brings two US venture capital firms with existing exposure to defence technology into Hypersonica's latest funding round.

Lightspeed has previously backed defence companies including Castelion and Helsing. General Catalyst has also invested in Helsing and participated in major funding rounds supporting defence technology development.

Plural, which led Hypersonica's Series A, and 201 Ventures also participated in the latest round.

The company's earlier Series A, announced in February, included SPRIND, Germany's Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation, alongside General Catalyst and 201 Ventures.

The Financial Times, citing unnamed sources, has reported Hypersonica's valuation at approximately €700 million. The company has not publicly disclosed its valuation.

Europe's growing investment in hypersonic defence

Hypersonica's latest funding comes amid increasing investment in European defence technology, particularly in systems designed to strengthen air defence and long-range strike capabilities.

The UK and Germany have also been advancing joint defence programmes under the Trinity House Agreement. The UK's Defence Investment Plan allocates £770 million over four years for a programme covering stealth cruise and hypersonic weapons, with delivery projected for the 2030s.

Hypersonica is entering a competitive market that includes companies such as US-based Castelion and Hermeus, alongside European defence technology developers including Destinus.

According to Dealroom data cited by Tech Funding News, US investors account for 47% of European defence technology funding, with the sector expected to reach a record $10.5 billion in 2026.

What comes next for Hypersonica

The €100 million Series B marks a significant funding milestone, but the company still has several technical and commercial milestones ahead.

Further test flights will be needed to demonstrate the system's capabilities beyond its initial prototype flight. The next stages will also involve advancing the deep-strike system, expanding manufacturing and establishing a route towards eventual deployment.

Hypersonica has demonstrated that it can move quickly from concept to a high-speed test flight. Its next challenge is to translate that engineering progress into a mature, manufacturable defence capability.