News Summary

Helsing, a European military drone startup, is reportedly close to securing a $1.2 billion funding round, bringing its valuation to approximately $18 billion. The funding round is expected to be led by Dragoneer, with participation from existing investor Lightspeed. This comes after a previous €600 million investment led by Spotify founder Daniel Ek in June 2025, which valued Helsing at €12 billion ($14 billion USD). The increased valuation highlights the growing interest in autonomous defense startups amid ongoing geopolitical tensions, particularly the war in Ukraine, which has driven venture capital interest in the sector.