The British-German defense startup says its prototype exceeded Mach 6 and now plans to expand testing and manufacturing capacity in Germany and the United Kingdom.
Hypersonica has raised €100 million in Series B funding co-led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and General Catalyst, accelerating its effort to build European-controlled long-range hypersonic systems.
Existing investors Plural, 201 Ventures and Germany's Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation, SPRIND, participated in the financing announced November 2. The company was founded by CEO Philipp Kerth and CTO Marc Ewenz and operates across Munich and London.
Hypersonica says the new capital will expand engineering and manufacturing operations, increase the pace of testing and support hundreds of highly skilled jobs in the UK and Germany.
From Prototype to Procurement
The startup develops high-speed, maneuverable strike technology as European governments seek greater domestic defense capacity. Its argument is that established defense procurement and manufacturing cycles can be too slow for rapidly evolving strategic needs.
In February 2026, Hypersonica reported that its HS-1 prototype exceeded Mach 6 over a distance of more than 300 kilometers. The company also claims its development approach can reduce certain costs by more than 80% compared with conventional programs. These are company-reported milestones and cost comparisons, not evidence that a fully deployed weapon system is already in service.
The next phase involves repeatable testing, engineering integration and the capacity to manufacture at scale. Hypersonica's stated target is to develop operational deep-strike systems by 2029.
The European Sovereignty Bet
Europe is putting more resources into long-range precision strike capabilities, partly to reduce reliance on overseas suppliers and create resilient domestic production.
Hypersonica emphasizes that it develops and controls its intellectual property in Europe and aims to supply ITAR-free capabilities to European allies. The financing therefore reflects not only an investment in hardware but a wider bet on sovereign defense technology.
But technical demonstrations are only one part of the commercialization challenge. The company must prove reliability, production economics, regulatory and procurement compatibility, and integration into military systems.
A Financial Times report said the financing valued Hypersonica at approximately €700 million, citing people familiar with the transaction; the company did not announce that valuation in its own release.
The €100 million round gives Hypersonica resources to move beyond the initial demonstration stage. Its ultimate value will depend on whether it can turn promising test results into deployable, manufacturable systems on the timetable its government customers require.
Sources: Hypersonica announcement · Hypersonica leadership · White & Case