Dutch defence ministry backs drone startup Intelic with tens of millions
What's the deal? The Dutch Netherlands Ministry of DefenceDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → is investing "tientallen miljoenen euro's" — tens of millions of euros — in Amsterdam-based drone software startup IntelicDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, according to AD. The ministry is also weighing an option on a "golden share" that would give it added say over strategic decisions.
What does Intelic do? The company builds software that lets armed forces control drones from different manufacturers. It won the MT/Sprout Challenger50 in 2025.
Why the golden share? The option would help protect Intelic from foreign takeovers and hand the government influence over key decisions. The ministry expects to spend the coming months studying the arrangement.
Why now? Intelic has been building momentum with a procurement hub connecting European drone makers to defence ministries, plus strategic cooperation with TNODealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to speed unmanned systems into operational use. A direct state investment signals a shift from ad-hoc subsidies towards scale-up capital for platforms seen as critical to European sovereignty in drones and autonomous systems.
The signal: The round fits an acceleration in European defence-tech funding. Keen Venture PartnersDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has closed more than €150 million for what is now Europe's largest dedicated defence and security fund, explicitly backing companies including Intelic. A government taking a direct stake — rather than granting a grant — underlines how far the sector's momentum has run.
Read more: MT/Sprout
Image credit: Mussi Katz
