--- title: INLEAP Photonics raises €20 million to scale laser-based drone defence date: 2026-09-01T07:01:00Z modified: 2026-09-02T14:08:29Z permalink: "https://www.htgf.de/en/inleap-photonics-financing/" type: post status: publish excerpt: "" wpid: 133258 categories: - News - Press language: - English post_translations: - pll_6a95812d5394e featured_image: "https://www.htgf.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/C-Level_INLEAP-Photonics_V1_copyright_CIH.jpg" timestamp: 2026-09-02T14:08:29Z tags: - News - Press - English - pll_6a95812d5394e --- # INLEAP Photonics raises €20 million to scale laser-based drone defence - UVC Partners leads seed funding round - Strong demand drives investment in series production and international expansion - Funding strengthens INLEAP Photonics’ position as a European provider of laser-based drone defence solutions ![](https://www.htgf.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/INLEAP-PHOTONICS-INLEAP-FASTLIGHT-HELD_04-1619x1080.jpg) INLEAP FASTLIGHT HELD (High Energy Laser Drone) – Photo © INLEAP Photonics ![](https://www.htgf.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/INLEAP-FASTLIGHT-SHIELD_1-810x1080.jpg) INLEAP FASTLIGHT SHIELD – Photo © INLEAP Photonics German deep-tech company [INLEAP Photonics](https://inleap-photonics.com/) has closed a seed funding round led by UVC Partners, securing approximately €20 million in total for laser-based drone defence. Other investors from Germany and across Europe include HTGF (Germany), Balnord (Poland), Sentris (Estonia) and Scale Capital (Denmark). The funding round comes at a time of growing urgency. Recent incidents, including the drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport, demonstrate the immediate and real threat posed by unmanned aerial vehicles to critical infrastructure. The demand for effective, safe and sovereign counter-drone systems has never been higher. INLEAP Photonics addresses this need with efficient and safe laser-based drone defence solutions and is already working with customers and partners including the German Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg) and the Bundeswehr Cyber Innovation Hub. The recently announced strategic partnership with STARK Defence further underlines the growing demand for sovereign, operationally proven C-UAS (Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems) developed in Germany. In response to strong market demand, INLEAP Photonics will use the new capital to expand its production and testing capacity and continue growing its team. “Our technology has reached the market and we are seeing strong order intake. We are now investing in manufacturing, quality assurance, sales and service to meet demand and deliver our systems at greater scale,” says [Dr.-Ing. Marius](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marius-lammers-a543aa15a/) [Lammers,](https://www.linkedin.com/in/marius-lammers-a543aa15a/) CEO and founder of INLEAP Photonics. “We will establish INLEAP Photonics as a leading European provider of laser effectors.” ![](https://www.htgf.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/C-Level_INLEAP-Photonics_V1_copyright_CIH-1620x1080.jpg) The INLEAP Photonics founders: Felix Wellmann, Katharina Haas, Frank Feldkeller and Marius Lammers (from left) (Photo: Cyber Innovation Hub) ### UVC Partners leads seed funding round UVC Partners is the lead investor in the new financing round. The investor base has also been expanded to include new backers such as Balnord, Scale Capital and Sentris, bringing additional expertise and networks to support INLEAP Photonics’ expansion across Europe. “Drone defence is no longer a purely military issue. Airports, energy facilities and data centres require the same level of protection as defence installations. INLEAP Photonics is the only team whose technology meets the requirements of both environments: eye-safe for civilian use and robust enough for deployment in conflict zones. For us, this dual-use capability is the key lever for scaling,” says Amanda Birkenholz, Principal at UVC Partners. ### Funding to accelerate series production, development and market expansion With the proceeds from the seed round, INLEAP Photonics will accelerate the scaling of its technology for defence applications and the protection of critical infrastructure. “Moving into series production requires more than simply adding capacity. Every unit must be manufactured, tested and accepted under the same defined conditions. This is why we are investing in standardised assembly and testing processes, rigorous quality assurance and reliable supply chains,” says [Dr.-Ing. Felix](https://www.linkedin.com/in/felix-wellmann-7a425b103/) [Wellmann,](https://www.linkedin.com/in/felix-wellmann-7a425b103/) CTO and founder of INLEAP Photonics. Specifically, the capital will be invested in the following areas: - **Scaling series production:** Establishing and standardising manufacturing and testing processes for INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® HELD and INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® SHIELD® - **Research and development:** Further development of the core technology, particularly its eye-safe operating principle. This enables INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® SHIELD® to be deployed in urban and safety-critical environments and differentiates the system from all other solutions on the market. - **Sales and service:** Expanding sales, customer support and market presence in Germany and across Europe. Further locations are planned in Germany and other European countries to intensify cooperation with public-sector customers and security-relevant organisations such as the Bundeswehr and to reach prospective customers more quickly. - **Quality assurance and certifications:** Developing and implementing the required processes, evidence and certifications for reliable deployment in industrial and security-critical environments. ### Laser systems technology for different operational scenarios INLEAP Photonics develops and supplies high-precision, ultra-fast laser beam steering systems. **INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® SHIELD®** has been developed for controlled and eye-safe drone defence. The laser effector neutralises drones within seconds by precisely targeting identified weak points. The system is intended for military applications as well as civilian and critical infrastructure environments. **INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® HELD** (High Energy Laser Drone) is a system for laser-based drone defence on an unmanned ground platform and extends the range of applications for mobile C-UAS scenarios. It is based on the same technological foundation and combines the laser effector with a compact, all-terrain UGV platform (Unmanned Ground Vehicle) and a C-UAS software platform. The new funding will enable INLEAP Photonics to further develop and scale both product lines.