Insider Brief
- ARX Robotics, a German startup specializing in AI-powered unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs), has raised €42 million in total Series A funding with new backing from Speedinvest.
- Speedinvest’s investment marks its first direct stake in a defense-first startup and highlights growing European interest in sovereign, AI-driven military technologies.
- ARX’s modular Gereon platform, already deployed by six European armed forces, uses a proprietary AI operating system to perform adaptable battlefield roles and modernize existing fleets.
A European defense startup developing AI-powered ground robots has secured new backing from one of the continent’s most active seed investors in security and resilience technology.
Speedinvest announced its investment in ARX Robotics, a German-based startup focused on modular, autonomous unmanned ground vehicles, or UGVs. Founded in 2022 by a team that includes former German Armed Forces officers, ARX is building next-generation land robots designed to operate in harsh, high-risk environments with minimal human oversight.
This follows the company’s initial €31 million Series A round announced in April, which was led by HV Capital and included Omnes Capital, the NATO Innovation Fund, and Project A. The latest infusion brings ARX’s total Series A funding to €42 million, reinforcing investor confidence in its modular, AI-powered ground systems and its role in Europe’s sovereign defense strategy.
Speedinvest noted it marks its first direct investment in a defense-first startup and reflects a growing trend in Europe toward local development of strategic technologies, according to the investor.
ARX’s platform, called Gereon, is a modular robotic system designed to handle a range of battlefield tasks, including logistics, surveillance, evacuation, and force protection. It runs on Mithra OS, the company’s proprietary AI operating system, which enables real-time coordination and decision-making. Unlike traditional military systems that are hardwired for single tasks, ARX vehicles are designed to adapt their missions as conditions change. The company says this software-first architecture, paired with scalable European manufacturing, will give allied militaries more flexibility and control.
Six European armed forces, including Ukraine, are already deploying or testing ARX vehicles, according to Speedinvest. The company has gained attention for its efforts to retrofit existing military fleets with autonomous capabilities, offering a cost-effective way to modernize operations without replacing entire systems. Its focus on domestic supply chains also aligns with increasing political calls for European tech sovereignty amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Europe has significantly expanded defense spending over the past decade. According to Speedinvest, using data from the European Defence Agency, total defense outlays among EU member states rose by $145 billion between 2014 and 2024, with more than $110 billion of that coming in the past five years. In 2024 alone, EU countries spent $98 billion on defense hardware and $14 billion on defense-related software. A growing portion of that budget is shifting to smart systems powered by artificial intelligence, autonomy, and advanced sensors.
