German Defense Tech Start-up to Manufacture Drones in the U.K.
German Defense Tech start-up, Stark, has recently made several significant announcements. Last Wednesday, the German drone company revealed plans to open a 40,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in the UK, marking its first site outside Germany and Ukraine. Additionally, Stark announced the acquisition of Berlin-based autonomous flight control start-up, Pleno, which specializes in communications-denied navigation for cost-effective drones. Philip Lockwood, managing director and SVP of strategy for Stark International, stated that the company is planning broader expansion across Europe. “Our ambitions are to expand as quickly as possible,” he said, noting the current situation in Europe.
Stark was established in 2024 in Berlin by Florian Seibel, co-founder and CEO of Quantum Systems. Seibel has since stepped back from day-to-day operations at Stark. The company’s initial focus was to develop drones and autonomous systems for European and NATO partners, aiming for scalable production to address immediate operational requirements, such as those present in Ukraine. According to Lockwood, Stark maintains an office in Kyiv and collaborates with Ukrainian military partners. Investment interest has been notable. Last fall, Sequoia Capital invested $16.32 million in Stark, and in April, Peter Thiel made a $15M angel investment.
To date, Stark has publicly introduced two products. The first is Virtus, a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) one-way attack drone capable of carrying a 5 kg (11 lb) payload and reaching speeds of up to 250 km/h (155 mph). Virtus is notable for its modular design, allowing for rapid modifications. The second product, Minerva, is the company’s Command and Weapons Control (CWC) system, which enables operators to manage swarms of unmanned systems efficiently.
Lockwood indicated that the opening of the Swindon facility was influenced by geopolitical developments in Europe. He noted changes in German and UK relations and highlighted both countries’ increased leadership roles in European defense and security. Recently, the two nations signed the Trinity House Agreement on Defence and a subsequent bilateral defense treaty, the first between them since WWII. The UK also operates Taskforce Kindred, which provides direct support to Ukraine, and is investing further in defense innovation and technology.
Initial production at the Swindon facility will concentrate on Virtus. Lockwood did not specify the expected output but mentioned ongoing work on various unmanned systems with differing capabilities, including both strike and non-strike options, and other solutions aligned with the broader “software defined warfare” mandate. The company aims to eventually establish additional production facilities across Europe to increase manufacturing capacity and create a more resilient supply chain. According to Lockwood, Stark is committed to contributing to long-term security in Europe through growth, expanded production sites, and continued product development.
Regarding the Pleno acquisition, although Stark develops its own software (Minerva), Pleno’s navigation technology is tailored for environments where communication and GNSS signals are unreliable, such as conflict zones.
Originally founded as a climate technology firm focused on automated carbon measurement, Pleno shifted to defense technology last year and developed two autonomy and simulation tools: PLENO Sim and PLENO Lab. The integration of Pleno’s stack into Stark’s products, including Virtus, is expected to enhance performance in jamming-prone areas. Pleno’s co-CEO and co-founder Nino Lindenberg will join Stark as director of AI and navigation.
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