Helsing to invest $50 million in Berkeley County for defense manufacturing jobs. Governor Patrick Morrisey announced on July 13 that Helsing will invest an initial $50 million to establish advanced defense manufacturing operations in Berkeley County, creating at least 60 high-skilled, full-time jobs with an average salary of $125,000. The announcement highlights the state's efforts to strengthen West Virginia's aerospace and defense economy. "Welcoming a global defense technology innovator with battlefield-deployed products like Helsing to Berkeley County is another major milestone for West Virginia," Morrisey said. "This investment demonstrates that our state has the skilled workforce, dependable infrastructure, and business climate needed to compete for the industries of tomorrow. We're proud to help strengthen America's defense while creating outstanding career opportunities for West Virginians." Helsing is a European defense technology company specializing in software-defined capabilities and selected West Virginia after evaluating sites across the United States. The new facility in Martinsburg will initially manufacture Helsing's HX-2 AI-enabled strike drone. Dr. Jennifer McArdle, Helsing's US General Manager, said, "A strong defense industrial base depends on trusted partnerships and the ability to scale advanced manufacturing where it matters most. West Virginia stood out for its skilled workforce, speed to build, manufacturing heritage, and commitment to strengthening the U.S. industrial base. We're excited to build in Appalachia and grateful to Gov. Morrisey and the State of West Virginia for their support." The state worked closely with Helsing during site selection by aligning customized workforce training programs through West Virginia Advance and Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, as well as providing strategic logistics support and dependable energy resources. Morrisey said, "West Virginia has a long history of supporting our nation's defense, and this investment carries that tradition into the future." He added that bringing advanced manufacturing jobs allows residents "to help build the next generation of technology right here at home." Since October, more than $12.9 billion in private-sector investments have been announced under his administration with over 13,700 projected jobs across West Virginia. Helsing's investment supports long-term economic development goals by strengthening local industry while expanding opportunities statewide.

Helsing raises $1.8 billion in Europe's biggest defense-startup round. Jul 13, 2026, 03:49 AM PARIS - Germany's Helsing raised US$1.8 billion in Europe's biggest-ever funding round for a defense-technology startup, valuing the company at $18 billion and continuing a flurry of mega rounds for the continent's defense industry. Munich-based Helsing raised the funding in a Series E funding round, with investor demand "significantly" exceeding the available allocation, the company said in a statement on Monday. The company remains predominantly European-owned after the fund raising, Helsing said. The latest round raises Helsing's valuation from a reported €12 billion in June 2025, and follows a $1.2 billion funding round for German defense-tech firm Quantum Systems this month that valued that company at $8 billion. Defense technology has been one of the fastest-growing areas of venture capital funding on the back of rising military budgets worldwide, and in Europe in particular. "This latest investment will accelerate Helsing's mission to develop and integrate entirely new AI platforms into the defense capabilities of its growing number of partner nations," the company said. Investor demand reflected strong and growing confidence in AI-driven and software-defined defense technology, Helsing said. The company's valuation puts it among Europe's most valuable defense companies despite having been founded only in 2021. The German company's offer includes the HX-2 strike drone and the Altra AI-enabled battlefield-operations software as well as concepts including the proposed CA-1 autonomous fighter jet, and the firm works with the likes of Rheinmetall, Kongsberg and Saab to implement its AI solutions. Other mega rounds in Europe this year include the United Kingdom's Kraken Technology, which makes autonomous vessels, and which raised $175 million this month in a Series B funding round that valued the startup at $1 billion. A mega round is shorthand in the investment industry for a fund raising of $100 million or more. German unmanned-systems maker Stark raised €500 million in June ($570 million) at a reported valuation of €3.2 billion, while Finland's ICEYE, whose radar satellites are being ordered by militaries all over Europe, raised €450 million in a Series F round last month. French defense-tech startup Harmattan AI raised $200 million in January in a Series B round led by Dassault Aviation that valued the company at €1.4 billion, creating the country's first defense unicorn. Helsing said new and existing investors participated in the funding round, including Lightspeed Venture Partners and General Catalyst. The company's existing investors include Prima Materia, Accel and Greenoaks. The company said its board remains unchanged with Daniel Ek and Tom Enders as co-chairmen, members Jeannette zu Fürstenberg and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander Transformation Gen. Denis Mercier, and co-founders Gundberg Scherf, Niklas Köhler and Torsten Reil. Rudy Ruitenberg is a Europe correspondent for Defense News. He started his career at Bloomberg News and has experience reporting on technology, commodity markets and politics.