Helsing
Helsing develops AI-powered defense systems for governments, with 866 employees and $3.3B in total funding. The company raised a Series E in July 2026, backed by investors including Accel and General Catalyst.
The growth story
Helsing grew from 24 to 866 employees between 2021 and 2026, raising $3.3B along the way, most recently a Series E in July 2026.
About
Helsing builds autonomous defense technology using artificial intelligence, primarily for government clients. Its systems aim to provide scalable, sovereign capabilities for democratic nations.
The company has grown rapidly since its 2021 founding, reaching nearly 900 employees. Its $3.3B funding total reflects strong investor interest in defense AI, with Goldman Sachs Growth Equity among backers.
Founders and leadership
Engineering is Helsing's largest function with 256 staff. The company has a flat structure with median tenure of just one year, suggesting rapid scaling and turnover.
The Helsing org chart
Dr. Gundbert Scherf (Co-founder and Co-CEO) leads 36 mapped leaders with 17 direct reports. Click +N to expand a team; names link to the person’s public profile.
Departments, and which ones grew
Headcount by function: Engineering 381 (+42% YoY), Operations 62 (+121% YoY), Information Technology 57 (+58% YoY), Business Development 54 (+46% YoY), Program and Project Management 52 (+79% YoY), Human Resources 48 (+182% YoY).
Talent flow
Helsing recruits heavily from aerospace and tech firms like Lilium (30 hires), Google (20), and Palantir (20). Alumni frequently move to AI startups including Harmattan AI and Augur.
Most common previous employers of Helsing staff: Lilium (30), Google (20), Palantir Technologies (20), McKinsey & Company (17), Rolls-Royce (16), Siemens (15). Former Helsing employees most often moved to Harmattan AI (3), Augur (3), Pigment (2), G-Research (2), Stronghold AI (2), Enpal (2).
Alumni worth knowing
The Helsing mafia
Helsing alumni founded 8 companies including Ankar (54 staff) and Arondite (49 staff), showing strong entrepreneurial spillover from the defense AI sector.
9Tamar Gomez, was Product Manager until 2024Will Blyth, was Partnerships and Programmes until 2023Ben Dupont, was Product Manager until 2025Daniel Weimert, was Communications & Government Affairs Manager until 2024Rafael Licursi, PhD, was Senior Signals Intelligence Researcher until 2022Jonathan A., was Senior Project Manager / Technical Program Manager until 2025
Raffael Köhler, was Head of Strategic Projects until 2024
Vlad Andrei, was Data Scientist until 2022Hiring now
Web traffic
Traffic mix: 29% direct, 40% search, 18% social, 0% paid.
What this company is made of
Most common skills at Helsing: Python (Programming Language) (298), Project Management (251), Microsoft Office (198), C++ (181), Leadership (168), English (153), Machine Learning (152), Management (150).
Where the team actually sits
Helsing people are concentrated in Bavaria, Germany (127), England, United Kingdom (94), Germany (45), Greater Munich Metropolitan Area (45). 3 offices on record.
Search footprint
Helsing attracts about 1,239 organic search visits a month, traffic worth roughly $1K a month if bought through ads. It gained 50 ranking keywords and lost 60 in the last period.
What employees say
- Compensation
- 4.10 / 5
- Career opportunities
- 3.90 / 5
- Senior management
- 3.40 / 5
- Work-life balance
- 3.20 / 5
Frequently asked
Helsing has 866 employees as of September 2026.
Helsing has raised $3.3B in total, most recently a Series E round in July 2026.
Helsing was founded in 2021 by Dr. Gundbert Scherf, Niklas Köhler, Torsten Reil.
Dr. Gundbert Scherf (Co-founder and Co-CEO) sits at the top of Helsing's reporting structure, with 17 direct reports.
The most common previous employers of current Helsing staff are Lilium (30 people), Google (20 people), Palantir Technologies (20 people).
Former Helsing employees most often move to Harmattan AI (3), Augur (3), Pigment (2).
At least 8 companies have a founder who previously worked at Helsing, including Ankar, Arondite, black and white.
Helsing attracts about 1,239 organic search visits a month, worth roughly $1K a month in equivalent ad spend.
The most common skills among Helsing staff are Python (Programming Language), Project Management, Microsoft Office, C++, Leadership.
Helsing staff are concentrated in Bavaria, Germany (127), England, United Kingdom (94), Germany (45).
Helsing has about 381 people in Engineering, up 42% over the past year, as of September 2026.
Helsing has about 62 people in Operations, up 121% over the past year, as of September 2026.
Computed from 584 current and 226 former Helsing profiles, as of September 2026. Source: Crustdata.
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