SE3 raises $30 million for autonomous systems software
Accel led the Munich startup’s Series A, with funding set to support hiring, a UK office and expansion in Germany and Ukraine.
Munich-based SE3 has secured $30 million in Series A funding to expand its spatial intelligence software business for autonomous machines. Accel led the investment, joined by Keen, Lakestar and Seedcamp, five months after SE3 disclosed a €5.5 million seed round and emerged from stealth.
The company’s software combines sensor readings from different manufacturers’ drones and ground vehicles to create a common three-dimensional view of their surroundings. It uses that view to coordinate movement and positioning, while allowing operators to issue voice commands. Processing takes place on the devices, supporting use in environments where satellite navigation is jammed.
SE3 has deployments and multiple contracts in Ukraine, as well as contracts with Germany’s Bundeswehr. The company says it shipped thousands of systems over the past two years. Its partners include HENSOLDT, Auterion and ERC System, and its software operates on Auterion’s Skynode computers.
The startup originated in Professor Daniel Cremers’ computer vision laboratory at the Technical University of Munich, where co-founders Lukas Köstler and Simon Klenk were pursuing PhDs. Cremers serves as SE3’s chief science officer.
The funding will support recruitment in engineering, commercial roles and operations, alongside a UK office and expanded activity in Germany and Ukraine. Defense remains SE3’s immediate priority; beginning in 2027, it plans to extend the technology into robotics, emergency response and other applications.
