INLEAP Photonics, a German deep tech company developing ultra-fast laser beam steering systems, has emerged from stealth following the completion of a pre-seed funding round in summer 2025 to accelerate development of its laser-based counter-drone platform for defence and critical infrastructure protection.
The round was led by High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), with participation from Ventis Capital and additional private investors. The funding will be used to scale INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® SHIELD, a laser-based defence system designed to neutralize drones within fractions of a second. The company said the system has already been successfully tested and will now be further developed toward operational readiness.
Drones have become an increasingly significant operational risk due to their low cost, accessibility, versatility, and the difficulty of stopping them in many real-world scenarios. Operators of critical infrastructure, government authorities, and armed forces require response systems capable of acting within seconds, maintaining precision, operating repeatedly, and functioning responsibly in complex environments. INLEAP Photonics is addressing this gap by adapting high-speed industrial laser technology for defence applications.
The company’s core platform, INLEAP® FASTLIGHT®, was originally developed for high-speed industrial laser processes such as additive manufacturing and battery cell production. It enables ultra-fast and highly precise laser beam steering.
Building on this industrially validated foundation, INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® SHIELD applies highly targeted laser energy to identified drone weak points within extremely short time windows. The system is designed for mobile deployment and repeated operations. INLEAP Photonics has developed and tested its first system and is now expanding operational and performance parameters in preparation for user deployment.
Following the successful demonstration of its core capabilities, the company is focused on operational scaling. This includes expanding performance classes, validating the system in real deployment scenarios, and integrating the platform into existing security architectures.
INLEAP Photonics was founded as a spin-off from Laser Zentrum Hannover e. V.. The company develops, manufactures, and commercializes ultra-fast, high-precision laser beam steering systems for two primary applications: increasing efficiency in industrial manufacturing and enabling controlled drone defence to protect people and critical infrastructure. The company serves industrial users, public-sector clients, and security-focused organizations across Europe.
HTGF, founded in 2005, is among the most active early-stage investors in Germany and Europe. The firm focuses on startups in deep tech, industrial tech, climate tech, digital tech, life sciences, and chemistry. It invests in pre-seed and seed rounds and can also participate in later-stage financings. HTGF has financed around 800 startups and completed approximately 200 exits, with a total fund volume exceeding 2 billion euros. Its public-private partnership includes backing from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, KfW Capital, and 45 companies and family offices.
Ventis Capital is a venture capital fund backed by an entrepreneurial family and invests in early-stage, technology-driven companies. The firm focuses on founding teams applying innovative technologies to industrial, societal, or economic challenges and positions itself as a long-term partner providing both capital and strategic support.
KEY QUOTES:
“We counter the asymmetric drone threat with technological superiority. The current security situation leaves no room for slow solutions. Our system closes the temporal gap between detection and effect. With this funding, we have consistently advanced our prototype toward operational readiness and offer German industry and public-sector actors a sovereign defence capability against airborne threats.”
“Our industrial expertise enables laser beam steering speeds that current systems cannot match. The prototype has demonstrated that we can intercept agile targets within milliseconds. We are now transferring this precision into a robust, scalable system that effectively protects critical infrastructure and military facilities.”
Dr.-Ing. Felix Wellmann, CTO, INLEAP Photonics
“INLEAP Photonics addresses a highly relevant future market at the intersection of deep tech and defence. Laser effectors for drone and air defence are a rapidly growing technology segment dominated by only a few players. INLEAP’s precision and performance are exceptional. The ambition is clear: INLEAP wants to become a global leader in laser-based C-UAS.”
Dr. Koen Geurts, Senior Investment Manager, High-Tech Gründerfonds
