Sifted - Who owns what in Helsing?

Good morning there,

Defence tech has been thrust further into the spotlight in recent weeks as the US signals a pullback of support in Europe and the EU aims to ramp up its defence spending. And one of Europe’s biggest — and best-funded — defence startups on the continent, Germany-based Helsing, has attracted big European and US investors over the years.

The four-year-old startup, valued at roughly €5bn in a funding round last summer, has managed to garner cheques from investors such as General Catalyst and Lightspeed Venture Partners, as well as European corporates like Saab. But who actually owns what in Helsing? I dug into some recent filings to find out.

Elsewhere today:

• Anduril to open UK factory and R&D centre
• Klarna is reportedly seeking a $15bn valuation at IPO — does it stack up?
• Opinion: The diversity blindspot in Project Europe’s VC movement

/A message from our sponsor Helsinki Partners

Tired of tech hubs full of hype and empty promises?

The 90 Day Finn programme offers a free 3-week intensive period of real connections and daily activities with Helsinki's innovative deeptech researchers and no-nonsense entrepreneurs who prioritise results over hype. 

🛡️ US defence tech Anduril is opening a factory and R&D centre in the UK to manufacture advanced attack drones and other autonomous weapons to supply the UK military.

🗣️ Opinion: The diversity blindspot in Project Europe’s VC movement.

🤔 Who owns what in Helsing? Anne Sraders breaks down the German defence tech's largest shareholders.

💳 Swedish fintech Klarna filed its IPO prospectus last week, nearing the beginning of the end of its time as a privately-held company. Reports suggest it plans to raise more than $1bn on the public market at a valuation exceeding $15bn. But as Klarna hurtles towards its public listing, how does that valuation stack up? 

Sifted Talks | Online. On April 9, senior reporter Freya Pratty is bringing together panellists from Dexory, Yamato and Intralink to discuss how to take your startup overseas. From navigating new markets to building the right partnerships, our expert panel will share practical strategies for global growth. RSVP here.

Europe v US founder pulse check

Have your say in Sifted’s upcoming report to compare and contrast the European and US tech ecosystems. Tell us about your experience starting and scaling a business, the challenges and risks you're facing, and how you're feeling about the future.

Berlin-based Doinstruct, a compliance platform for employee training, raised €16.5m in Series A funding. HV Capital led the round and was joined by investors including Creandum, High-Tech Gründerfonds and D11Z.

Amsterdam-based Billy Grace, which develops AI-based tools for marketing, raised €3m in funding. Fortino Capital participated in the round.

Paris-based Evera, which provides subscriptions to electric vehicles for businesses, raised €2m in funding. Groupe Magellim, Newfund NAEH Innopy, MCapital, AstoryaVC and Eric Ibled participated in the round.

Berlin-based Nao, a co-investment platform for alternative assets, raised €1m in seed extension funding from investors including Jens Hilgers.

London-based Vouchsafe, an identity verification platform, raised €1m in pre-seed funding. Bethnal Green Ventures led the round and was joined by investors including Biometric Ventures, Fuel Ventures, Seed X Liechtenstein and Andrew Chevis.

London-based Bioniq, which develops personalised supplements from blood analysis, raised over €1m in funding from footballer Diogo Dalot.

If you’d like to submit a deal, get in touch. 

For more deals, analysis and M&A insight, become a Pro subscriber to receive our weekly Deals newsletter.