STARK Timeline

Events

• 2026-06-23 - Funding - STARK raises EUR 500M at about EUR 3.5B valuation - The June 2026 round added EUR 500 million at about a EUR 3.5 billion valuation. More than 80% of the capital is allocated to R&D and manufacturing, including electronic-warfare research facilities and higher-rate production. - source: sifted.eu
• 2026-04-29 - Demonstration - STARK demonstrates Virtus and Minerva drone-swarm integration in Bundeswehr exercise - The exercise tested integration of reconnaissance drones, software and loitering munitions into a recce-strike operation. STARK said the objective is to provide the Bundeswehr with a scalable operational capability by 2027. The trials focused on reducing the… - source: stark-defence.com
• 2026-04-23 - Partnership - STARK and INLEAP Photonics partner on laser-based C-UAS - The partnership is focused on bringing INLEAP FASTLIGHT SHIELD into relevant defence applications. The companies may also jointly develop additional C-UAS solutions. STARK framed the work as part of an integrated approach to combining multiple defence… - source: stark-defence.com
• 2026-03-12 - Partnership - STARK and Six Robotics partner on recce-strike capability - The integration links reconnaissance drones, loitering munitions and autonomy software for shorter sensor-to-shooter loops. STARK said the first phase had already been demonstrated through successful trials. The partnership followed STARK’s establishment of… - source: stark-defence.com
• 2026-02-26 - Contract Award - STARK to deliver Virtus loitering munition system to the Bundeswehr - The agreement was approved on 25 February 2026 and announced by STARK on 26 February 2026. STARK said the framework contract covers delivery within two years after successful qualification. The event follows joint Bundeswehr testing of the Virtus system. - source: stark-defence.com
• 2026-02-13 - Facility Opening - STARK opens Ukraine R&D hub and Greece office - The Ukraine site is designed to support more than 200 specialists across R&D, integration, training and support. STARK said the expansion includes a regional office in Greece. The company tied the expansion to faster unmanned-system iteration and future… - source: stark-defence.com
• 2026-02-04 - Contract Award - STARK wins first major international contract with a NATO member - The package included 150 loitering munitions and 15 ISR drones. The agreement also covered repair and service packages, along with recurring software updates. The contract followed STARK’s expansion of drone and mission-software operations in Europe. - source: stark-defence.com
• 2026-01-28 - Facility Opening - STARK expands to the Nordics with Stockholm presence - The move was tied to STARK’s partnership work with Norway-based Six Robotics. STARK said the Nordic presence would support military and industrial cooperation in the region. The expansion added to STARK’s European footprint beyond Germany, the United… - source: stark-defence.com
• 2025-10-01 - Partnership - STARK and TDW partner on warhead integration for Virtus - The cooperation focused on integrating TDW’s LION STRIKE 110 warhead into Virtus. STARK framed the work as a step toward European industrial control over critical unmanned-weapons subsystems. TDW is a European warhead specialist within the MBDA group. - source: stark-defence.com
• 2025-09-30 - Product Launch - STARK launches Vanta autonomous maritime vessels after NATO trials - The Vanta-4 and Vanta-6 are unmanned surface vessels designed for affordable mass production and ranges up to 900 nautical miles. During the Portugal trials, Vanta systems completed missions including harbour control, over-the-horizon investigation and… - source: stark-defence.com
• 2025-08-22 - Funding - STARK closes 2025 growth round led by Sequoia Capital - The round took total disclosed funding to roughly $100 million before the 2026 EUR 500 million raise. The capital supported STARK’s push into software-defined defence drones and unmanned weapons systems. - source: tectonicdefense.com
• 2025-02-10 - Product Launch - STARK unveils OWL miniature AI payload - OWL was presented as a smart miniature payload for unmanned systems. The product sits alongside STARK’s wider software-defined defence autonomy stack. The launch broadened STARK’s profile beyond airframes into payload and sensing components. - source: stark-defence.com