SE3 Labs is giving autonomous systems spatial intelligence. SE3 Labs offers hardware-independent software for autonomous systems. The funding for it comes from Lakestar, among others. Hensoldt is already cooperating with the Munich-based startup. 06/26/2026 - 06:30 AM Technology from SE3 Labs in testing: Co-founder Simon Klenk explains the functionality to soldiers. Photo: SE3Labs Berlin. The Munich software startup SE3 Labs aims to enable drones and other autonomous systems to better orient themselves in their environment. This is important so that they not only fly and film but also react to terrain and potential changes and adjust maneuvers. "Our technology is already being used," says SE3 Labs co-founder Lukas Köstler to Handelsblatt. The interview is intended as the first step toward the public, which SE3 Labs has previously avoided in order to work on the technology in peace. In the meantime, SE3 Labs has already won its first customers, including the Bundeswehr and other armed forces. Demand for spatial AI, i.e., spatial intelligence of systems, is likely to increase drastically in the future. GPS is susceptible to interference and only provides rough location data outdoors. Autonomous systems need a better understanding of space, especially when they are supposed to fly in swarms. SE3 Labs is developing a hardware-independent software solution for autonomous systems in the air and on the ground. "This is a new way in which the 3D world can be perceived by machines," says Köstler.

Munich-based defence startup SE3 Labs is developing a spatial AI platform that allows operators to control multiple autonomous systems using voice commands. The company has secured backing from investors Lakestar and Seedcamp. The technology aims to enable hands-free operation of autonomous defence systems, though details about funding amounts and the company's valuation were not disclosed.

HENSOLDT and SE3 Labs enter into strategic partnership. Hensoldt AG 9. June 2026 Integration of AI capabilities into MDOcore. Taufkirchen/Berlin (Germany), 09 June 2026 - HENSOLDT and SE3 Labs, a Munich-based technology company specialising in spatial artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, have signed a memorandum of understanding at the ILA Berlin. The agreement sets out the framework for strategic cooperation in the field of spatial and agentic AI. The cooperation focuses on integrating SE3 Labs' AI capabilities into HENSOLDT's MDOcore platform for automated data processing. SE3 Labs develops AI models that use large language models and advanced computer vision technology to generate interpretable insights from sensor data in real time. These capabilities are set to become an integral part of MDOcore in future, thereby expanding the scope of HENSOLDT's offering in the field of multi-domain operations. Sven Heursch, Chief Digital Officer and Head of Software-Defined Defence at HENSOLDT, said: "Agentic AI is the next logical step for multi-domain operations - moving away from pure data aggregation and visualisation towards systems that allow users to interact directly with military situational awareness and control operations via voice commands. With SE3 Labs, we are gaining a strong partner for this, one that significantly strengthens our MDOcore platform." Through this collaboration, both companies are pursuing a strategic goal: to take decision-making superiority to the next level and secure a decisive advantage for armed forces in networked operations. Lukas Köstler, co-founder and CEO of SE3 Labs, explained: "HENSOLDT and SE3 Labs combine complementary capabilities that together create real added value: HENSOLDT's world-class sensor technology and our AI agents, which autonomously analyse sensor data, identify correlations and derive concrete courses of action from them. This significantly reduces cognitive load and enables faster and better decisions." For HENSOLDT, the partnership represents a targeted strengthening of its software capabilities in the areas of software-defined defence and multi-domain operations. For its part, SE3 Labs brings leading expertise in spatial and agentic AI. The MoU covers specific programmes and ongoing tenders.