Ground A, a German defence technology company developing software- and laser-based counter-drone systems, has secured €9.1 million in pre-seed financing to industrialise the GA 1000 and build a broader air-defence product platform. Vsquared Ventures led the round, with participation from Quantum Systems, GRIF, Robin Capital, ABACON, Leblon Capital, OVNI Capital and several defence and technology investors.
Advancing the GA 1000
Founded in January 2026, Ground A moved the GA 1000 from prototype development into testing and validation within several months. Market launch is approaching, while modular series production in Germany is planned as Ground A prepares for broader manufacturing in 2027.
The GA 1000 combines radar and additional sensors with computer vision, proprietary AI and laser technology to automatically detect, classify and track small drones. Deployment decisions remain under human control. A compact Euro-pallet footprint supports mobile deployment across different operational environments.
“We founded Ground A in January and already have our first system in testing and validation, approaching market launch. This kind of speed is exactly what Germany, Europe and allied nations need right now. We deliberately concentrated on advancing the product first and delivering results before talking more broadly about Ground A. Europe needs effective counter-drone solutions that not only work technologically but can also be industrialised quickly and made available in large numbers. That is exactly what we are building Ground A for. The GA 1000 is just the beginning of a much larger product platform. With our investors, we have partners on board who support us financially, strategically and operationally in scaling this platform very quickly.” said Dr.-Ing. Tobias Brune, CEO and Co-Founder of Ground A.
Preparing for Series Production
Ground A designed the GA 1000 with an open, vendor- and system-agnostic architecture, allowing integration with existing air-defence and command systems as well as land-, sea- and air-based platforms. The new capital will support industrialisation and preparation for scalable manufacturing.
“The ability to counter drones effectively and cost-efficiently is becoming a key technology for Europe's security. What matters is that systems are not only high-performing, but also mobile and rapidly deployable. They must protect critical civilian infrastructure permanently, while remaining available at short notice wherever military threats emerge. Ground A combines precisely this operational flexibility with technological excellence, high execution speed and the ambition to scale industrially from day one. We are convinced that Ground A can make an essential contribution to Europe's defence capability.” said Benedikt von Schoeler, General Partner of Vsquared.
Ground A plans another financing round in 2027 to significantly expand production capacity and support deployment of scalable defence systems across Germany, NATO and allied markets.