German deep-tech company INLEAP Photonics has raised approximately EUR20 million in a seed funding round led by UVC Partners to scale production of its laser-based counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) technology.
The company said the funding will support series production, testing and quality assurance, as well as the expansion of its sales and service operations.
INLEAP’s portfolio includes FASTLIGHT SHIELD, a laser-based C-UAS system designed for military, civil and critical infrastructure applications, and FASTLIGHT HELD, which combines a laser effector mounted on an all-terrain unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) with C-UAS software.
The company is already working with the German Federal Ministry of Defence and its Bundeswehr Cyber Innovation Hub, as well as defence company STARK Defence.
INLEAP demonstrated in May a UGV-mounted system combining FASTLIGHT SHIELD with a Hentschel UGV and STARK’s software at the Bundeswehr Innovation Centre in Erding. The system was being assessed as part of a NATO programme focused on Class I and II UAS countermeasures, with trials planned for the third quarter of 2026 and delivery targeted for 2027.
The new funding is intended to move INLEAP’s technology towards series production and support its expansion into international markets.
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(Image: INLEAP Photonics)
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