Alpine Eagle has secured €10.25 million in a current financing round. The round is led by IQ Capital, with participation from High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), Expeditions Fund, and Sentris Capital. Other backers include existing investors General Catalyst and HCVC, who also supported the company's pre-seed round. With this funding, the company plans to Defensetech, founded in 2023 by Jan-Hendrik Boelens and Timo Breuer, to advance the development of its Sentinel system and expand its sales activities.
With the Sentinel system, Alpine Eagle has developed an air-to-air drone defense system that is considered unique worldwide. The Munich-based startup's technology uses machine learning, advanced sensors, and computer vision to detect, classify, and neutralize enemy drones, including small drones and scattered munitions. The increasing threat posed by autonomous warfare and drone operations underscores the need for effective countermeasures, both in the military and civilian sectors.
Alpine Eagle's Sentinel-OS Counter-UAS software package is a versatile and adaptable platform that can be integrated into both existing and customized hardware solutions, enabling rapid deployment and adaptation to diverse mission requirements.
Larger team & new markets
Jan-Hendrik Boelens, co-founder and CEO of Alpine Eagle, emphasizes the urgency and importance of the technology:
"It took around 50 years to go from the biplanes of World War I to modern fighter jets. However, with the development of technology and low-cost hardware, it will take less than five years before we see fully automated drone-to-drone operations. Given the rapid evolution of drone warfare, we see a huge need for systems that provide affordable and scalable defense capabilities. In the rapidly changing geopolitical environment, Europe needs defense innovation more than ever. We are the European defense technology startup that will provide the technological means to ensure the security and stability of our continent, and I am delighted that our new and previous investors share this vision with us."
The successful financing round and the support of leading investors provide Alpine Eagle with the resources to further expand its team and enter new markets. In the first twelve months since its founding, the company has already achieved seven-figure revenue and acquired new customers such as the German Armed Forces.
Archie Muirhead, Partner at IQ Capital, recognizes the work of the founding team:
"Jan-Hendrik and Timo are rare founders with a combination of research excellence, technical pragmatism, and absolute customer focus, which is reflected in the products they develop. What the Alpine Eagle team has achieved in less than 18 months is extraordinary, and we look forward to supporting them with this additional capital in providing further resilience capabilities to allied nations and organizations threatened by unmanned systems."
