Blab Tech
Helsing Secures $1.8 B Series E Funding and Opens First U.S. Factory in West Virginia
Helsing SE, a Munich‑based defense technology company, announced on July 14 that it has raised $1.8 billion in a Series E funding round that values the firm at $18 billion. The same day the company revealed plans to build its first U.S. manufacturing base in West Virginia, a move that will allow it to produce the HX‑2, an AI‑enabled strike drone, in the United States.
The new facility, located in Martinsburg, will be part of Helsing’s global network of Resilience Factories. According to the company, the plant will be capable of producing more than 2,000 HX‑2 drones per month once fully operational, with the ability to scale further as demand grows. Helsing said the investment will create high‑skill jobs and strengthen America’s defense industrial base.
The HX‑2 is designed for high‑volume production and rapid deployment. Helsing has stated that the drone has already been deployed in Ukraine and has undergone testing by allied armed forces, including the U.S. Army during the Flytrap exercise in Lithuania. The drone’s AI capabilities are intended to enhance target‑finding and engagement in contested environments.
The Series E round was announced in the same press release that detailed the West Virginia facility. Helsing said the round included both new and existing investors. The company listed Dragoneer Investment Group, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Disruptive, Iconiq, Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, JPMorgan Chase, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, General Catalyst, Plural and Stepstone as new participants. Existing investors mentioned were Prima Materia, Accel and Greenoaks.
Helsing noted that investor demand exceeded the available allocation for the round, and that the company remains predominantly European‑owned. The funding will support the development and integration of new AI platforms into the defense capabilities of partner nations.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey welcomed the investment, saying the state’s workforce, energy resources and manufacturing heritage make it an ideal location for Helsing’s U.S. operations. Helsing’s general manager of U.S. operations, Jennifer McArdle, Ph.D., said the facility would “demonstrate that West Virginia has the workforce, energy resources, and manufacturing heritage to help lead the next generation of industrial innovation.”
The announcement comes at a time when U.S. defense contractors are expanding domestic production to meet growing demand for unmanned systems. Helsing’s plan to produce the HX‑2 in the United States could reduce lead times for allied forces and provide a domestic source for a drone that has already seen combat use. The company has not yet disclosed a timeline for the plant’s first production run, but it has indicated that the facility will be operational once construction and certification are complete.
In summary, Helsing has secured a significant Series E investment that values the company at $18 billion and has announced a new manufacturing base in West Virginia that will produce the HX‑2 drone at a rate of over 2,000 units per month. The funding will also support AI platform development for partner nations. The company remains largely European‑owned, and the West Virginia facility is expected to create high‑skill jobs and strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base. The next steps will involve construction of the plant, certification of production lines, and the first production run of the HX‑2.
The new facility, located in Martinsburg, will be part of Helsing’s global network of Resilience Factories. According to the company, the plant will be capable of producing more than 2,000 HX‑2 drones per month once fully operational, with the ability to scale further as demand grows. Helsing said the investment will create high‑skill jobs and strengthen America’s defense industrial base.
The HX‑2 is designed for high‑volume production and rapid deployment. Helsing has stated that the drone has already been deployed in Ukraine and has undergone testing by allied armed forces, including the U.S. Army during the Flytrap exercise in Lithuania. The drone’s AI capabilities are intended to enhance target‑finding and engagement in contested environments.
The Series E round was announced in the same press release that detailed the West Virginia facility. Helsing said the round included both new and existing investors. The company listed Dragoneer Investment Group, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Disruptive, Iconiq, Growth Equity at Goldman Sachs Alternatives, JPMorgan Chase, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, General Catalyst, Plural and Stepstone as new participants. Existing investors mentioned were Prima Materia, Accel and Greenoaks.
Helsing noted that investor demand exceeded the available allocation for the round, and that the company remains predominantly European‑owned. The funding will support the development and integration of new AI platforms into the defense capabilities of partner nations.
West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey welcomed the investment, saying the state’s workforce, energy resources and manufacturing heritage make it an ideal location for Helsing’s U.S. operations. Helsing’s general manager of U.S. operations, Jennifer McArdle, Ph.D., said the facility would “demonstrate that West Virginia has the workforce, energy resources, and manufacturing heritage to help lead the next generation of industrial innovation.”
The announcement comes at a time when U.S. defense contractors are expanding domestic production to meet growing demand for unmanned systems. Helsing’s plan to produce the HX‑2 in the United States could reduce lead times for allied forces and provide a domestic source for a drone that has already seen combat use. The company has not yet disclosed a timeline for the plant’s first production run, but it has indicated that the facility will be operational once construction and certification are complete.
In summary, Helsing has secured a significant Series E investment that values the company at $18 billion and has announced a new manufacturing base in West Virginia that will produce the HX‑2 drone at a rate of over 2,000 units per month. The funding will also support AI platform development for partner nations. The company remains largely European‑owned, and the West Virginia facility is expected to create high‑skill jobs and strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base. The next steps will involve construction of the plant, certification of production lines, and the first production run of the HX‑2.
