HENSOLDT Bridges Defence Start-Up Innovation and Established Industry Through Project Q Investment

HENSOLDT Bridges Defence Start-Up Innovation and Established Industry Through Project Q Investment

(IN BRIEF) HENSOLDT has participated in a funding round for Project Q, a European defence technology company developing open software solutions for connecting and orchestrating sensors, unmanned systems, command systems and other defence capabilities. The investment strengthens HENSOLDT’s existing strategic collaboration with Project Q and supports its focus on software-defined defence and multi-domain integration. The partnership will combine Project Q’s HYDRIS open-source integration platform with HENSOLDT’s sensor technologies, AI and edge capabilities, and its MDOcore integration platform. The funding round was led by Expeditions Fund, with participation from Project A and Heliad. HENSOLDT said the investment reinforces its role as a bridge between European defence tech start-ups and the established defence industry.

(PRESS RELEASE) TAUFKIRCHEN, 15-Jul-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — HENSOLDT has participated in a new funding round for Project Q, a European defence technology company focused on open software solutions for modern security and defence ecosystems.

The funding round was led by Polish venture capital investor Expeditions Fund, with participation from Project A and Heliad. HENSOLDT said the investment expands its existing strategic collaboration with Project Q and strengthens its activities in software-defined defence and multi-domain integration.

The parties have agreed not to disclose the value of HENSOLDT’s investment.

Project Q develops open software solutions that allow sensors, unmanned systems, command and mission systems, and other defence capabilities from different manufacturers to be securely connected, coordinated and orchestrated.

The partnership aims to combine Project Q’s open-source integration and orchestration solution, HYDRIS, with HENSOLDT’s software-centred integration approach.

HENSOLDT will contribute sensor technologies, artificial intelligence and edge technologies, as well as its MDOcore integration platform. Project Q will complement these capabilities with HYDRIS, additional edge and mesh applications, and its own acoustic and seismic sensor solutions.

Through the investment, HENSOLDT is reinforcing its role as a bridge between Europe’s defence technology start-up ecosystem and the established defence industry. The company said it can provide young European defence tech companies with access to programmes, platforms and procurement structures, helping accelerate the transition from innovation to operational capability.

The investment forms part of HENSOLDT’s strategy to develop software-defined defence capabilities with European partners and strengthen its position as a neo-systems house.

Christian Schmidt, Chief Strategy Officer at HENSOLDT, said the company is helping shape the future defence ecosystem through strategic partnerships and selected start-up investments.

“We combine the innovative strength of young companies such as Project Q with our systems expertise and global market access,” said Schmidt. “This investment is a clear commitment to a cooperative systems architecture that strengthens Europe’s technological sovereignty.”

Leonard Wessendorf, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Project Q, said the collaboration shows how established systems integrators and modern defence technology companies can work together effectively.

“Together, we are creating the conditions to bring existing and new capabilities together in an interoperable and software-centred way,” said Wessendorf.

HENSOLDT is a European high-tech company in the defence and security sector, headquartered in Taufkirchen near Munich. The company develops sensor solutions, electronics and software for air, land, sea, cyber and space domains, supporting armed forces in early threat detection and operational decision-making.

The company combines radar, optronics, electronics, cyber expertise, software and artificial intelligence to integrate and analyse sensor data across platforms and domains, creating a reliable situational picture.

HENSOLDT describes its evolution as a shift from traditional sensor supplier to new-generation systems integrator, or neo-system house, supporting networked software-defined defence capabilities and information superiority in missions.

In the 2025 financial year, HENSOLDT reported turnover of €2.46 billion and employed around 9,500 people. The company is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in the MDAX.

Project Q is a European defence technology company with offices in Munich and Berlin. Its HYDRIS platform connects commercial off-the-shelf technologies, data sources and existing legacy systems into a single operational environment.

Using open standards, AI-powered data processing, edge computing and distributed operations, HYDRIS provides a vendor-neutral foundation for resilient and technologically sovereign defence and security operations.

Media Contact:

Thomas Maier
Communications ManagerFinance
thomas.maier.1@hensoldt.net
+49 173 7046 234

SOURCE: HENSOLDT