European Sovereignty Monitor

Industry, investment and R&D

Germany's INLEAP Photonics raises EUR 20 million seed round for laser drone defence

German deep-tech firm INLEAP Photonics, a Laser Zentrum Hannover spin-off, closed a EUR 20 million seed round led by UVC Partners, with HTGF, Balnord, Sentris and Scale Capital, to scale manufacturing of its laser-based counter-drone systems.

Verified HTGF press release, 1 September 2026

What it does not test. This funding round does not itself establish a government contract, order or field deployment of the technology.

How this item counts. No movement: no answer to who owns, who operates, whose law governs or who made the parts changes. Weight 0. Seed funding only, no deployment or contract; explicitly excludes field use. European Sovereignty Index

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