The Munich startup is developing AI technology that allows autonomous systems from different manufacturers to understand and operate within the same physical environment.
SE3 has raised $30 million in a Series A led by Accel, with participation from Keen Venture Partners, Lakestar and Seedcamp.
The financing follows a €5.5 million seed round announced approximately five months earlier.
Founded by Lukas Köstler, Simon Klenk and Daniel Cremers, SE3 emerged from computer vision research at the Technical University of Munich.
Its platform develops spatial intelligence for autonomous systems operating in complex physical environments.
Turning Sensor Data Into a Shared World Model
Autonomous drones and ground vehicles generate information through cameras and sensors.
But each machine may process that information independently, making it difficult for multiple systems to maintain a consistent picture of the environment.
SE3 is developing software that combines information from several platforms into a shared three-dimensional representation.
Instead of treating each drone as a separate data source, the system aims to create a unified understanding of terrain, objects and movement.
The technology can operate in environments where GPS is unavailable or electronic interference affects navigation.
A Hardware-Independent Software Layer
SE3 is targeting interoperability between autonomous systems from different manufacturers.
The company argues that defense customers need software that works across multiple hardware platforms, rather than becoming dependent on one supplier's complete technology stack.
Its partners include Hensoldt, Auterion and ERC.
According to Fortune, SE3's software has already been deployed in Ukraine.
From Defense Into Civilian Robotics
SE3 plans to expand its team from approximately 40 employees to around 120.
It also intends to establish additional offices across Europe.
Defense applications will remain its primary near-term market, but the company is beginning to explore civilian robotics.
The larger opportunity is creating spatial intelligence infrastructure that allows machines to perceive and reason about the physical world.
Its challenge is demonstrating reliable performance across different sensors, hardware platforms and operating conditions.
The $30 million Series A gives SE3 resources to expand in a market where autonomy increasingly depends on software that can translate raw sensor information into useful decisions.
Sources: Fortune; Accel/Keen; The Next Web (12 November).