Funding influx for defense technology: Project Q secures €7.5 million in seed capital
In a significant development for the European defence technology sector, Project Q, a Munich-based startup, has raised €7.5 million in its first official funding round. The round was led by Berlin-based VC Project A, with participation from the deep tech-focused Expeditions Fund and Superangel, an early-stage investor from Estonia and co-founder of the defense fund Archangel [1].
Founded in 2024 by Leonard Wessendorff and Frank Christian Sprengel, Project Q specialises in modular sensor and intelligence systems aimed at enhancing situational awareness and decision-making within defence operations [1]. The startup is working to create an interoperable and real-time intelligence platform known as the Q-Open Source Platform (Q-OSP) [1].
Leonard Wessendorf, who also serves as the CEO and co-founder of Project Q, has a diverse background in law, corporate communications, and defence and security electronics [2]. Uwe Horstmann, General Partner at Project A, has invested in defence tech startups like ARX Robotics and Quantum Systems and leads Project A's Defence Tech Studio 11x [1].
The Q-OSP platform connects sensors, data streams, and existing systems across domains, aiming to make civilian technologies usable for security-critical deployments, a concept known as the "Internet of Defence" (IoD) [1]. The goal is to create an intelligent, scalable system that is faster, more interoperable, and cost-efficient than previous approaches.
The funding will primarily be used to further develop the Q-OSP platform, expand the team, and launch initial pilot projects with European security and defence authorities [1]. The war in Ukraine has shifted Europe's stance on defence technology, making it more accessible to early-stage investors [9].
Many startups are starting to embrace defence themes due to the attractiveness of dual-use technologies [5]. The new Archangel fund, focusing specifically on defence tech in Europe, is a prominent player in the new defence VC ecosystem [6]. Superangel, another investor in Project Q's first funding round, is an early-stage investor from Estonia and co-founder of the Archangel fund [1].
Project Q's co-founder, Frank Christian Sprengel, is a political science and sociology graduate with experience at the consulting firm Repuco and msg's Defence Consulting [8]. The additional office in Berlin is led by Leonard Wessendorff [2].
Sources:
- TechCrunch
- Project Q
- Business Insider
- Forbes
- Reuters
- Superangel
- Archangel
- msg
- Euronews
What about exploring the potential applications of Q-Open Source Platform (Q-OSP) in finance, technology, and sports industries? For instance, could Q-OSP enable real-time analytics for stock market movements, enhance technology development speed, or optimize sports strategy planning with its interoperable and scalable system?
