Hypersonica raises €23.3 million Series A to deliver Europe’s first sovereign hypersonic strike capability

The round was led by Plural with participation from Germany’s Federal Agency for Breakthrough Innovation (SPRIND) as well as existing investors General Catalyst – who led Hypersonica’s Seed round – and 201 Ventures. The funds will accelerate Hypersonica’s roadmap toward full-scale flight testing beginning in Q1 2026 and help meet demand from NATO member states for deep precision strike capabilities – a critical gap in Europe’s defence portfolio.

Hypersonica co-founders Dr. Philipp Kerth (CEO) and Dr. Marc Ewenz (CTO) said: “Europe is at a decisive moment where speed in defence innovation is no longer optional but essential. Our mission is clear: equip Europe with the technological edge it needs and wants in manoeuvrable hypersonic systems to defend against military aggression and safeguard the democratic values that bind our societies.

“We welcome the partnership with Plural and SPRIND and are grateful for the continued confidence of our seed‑round investors. By leveraging this unique mix of VC agility and public-sector innovation funding, we will enable Europe to field deep precision strike capabilities sooner, sustain operational superiority in the long term, and do so with unmatched cost effectiveness.”

Hypersonica pursues rapid iteration from design to flight-ready hardware and a modular architecture that enables swift upgrades and shorter, more cost-efficient development cycles than traditional defence development programmes. This approach compresses timelines from years to months and reduces costs by over 80%, allowing Europe to field capability faster and at a fraction of the usual expense. Hypersonica’s developments will also benefit progress towards future civil space flight concepts.

Founded in December 2023 by University of Oxford PhDs and German nationals Dr. Marc Ewenz and Dr. Philipp Kerth, Hypersonica was initially incubated by TUM Venture Labs. The company is headquartered in the Munich area with a wholly owned subsidiary in London. Its creation coincided with a decisive shift in European defence priorities, notably the UK-German Trinity House Agreement, which deepened bilateral cooperation in advanced defence technologies. This combination of increased political will, industrial capability and a team with deep technical expertise positions Hypersonica to deliver sovereign hypersonic systems at speed.

Ian Hogarth, Partner at Plural, said: “Plural is proud to support Hypersonica, a disruptive defence company led by ambitious founders, committed like us to the defence of peace and prosperity in Europe. With offices spanning Munich and the UK, Hypersonica is strongly rooted in the centres of hypersonic excellence in Europe.”

Rafael Laguna de la Vera, Director SPRIND, said: “SPRIND has a proven track record of bridging the valley of death for breakthrough technologies from lab to production. Our decision to invest in Hypersonica reflects our confidence in the exceptionally strong team and the steady progress they are making on the demanding physics of hypersonic flight – a capability that will contribute to Europe's defence autonomy while also laying the groundwork for future autonomous space-access. By investing early in strategically relevant innovations as a state actor, we demonstrate public‑sector support and catalyse the flow of private capital and industry partnerships.”

Jeannette zu Fürstenberg, President and Managing Director at General Catalyst, said: "Europe's defense industrial base needs founders who can deliver advanced capability at the speed this moment demands. Marc and Philipp are building sovereign maneuverable hypersonic systems that strengthen deterrence and preserve peace. The time to act is now."