Paris-based defence-tech startup Alta Ares closed a €50 million ($54M) Series B on June 8 to scale its AI-guided drone interceptors and open offices in the Middle East and Asia. The round, led by London-based Air Street Capital with participation from Cherry Ventures, OTB Ventures and Harpoon Ventures, is the company's second raise after a €2 million seed in May 2025.
From Two-Year-Old Stealth To Three-Continent Deployment
Founded in 2024, Alta Ares builds the Blackbird interceptor family designed to detect, track and destroy drones, cruise missiles and glide bombs. The company says its systems are already deployed across three active conflict zones spanning Europe, the Middle East and Asia, an unusually fast operational footprint for a defence-tech newcomer. Interceptor deliveries surged after Russia's expanding use of Shahed and Geran swarms forced European militaries to ramp counter-UAS spending.
Where The €50 Million Goes
Alta Ares said the capital will fund additional hiring through the end of 2026, the opening of new offices in the Middle East and Asia, and expanded production at its facilities in Toulouse and a partner site in Ukraine. The Toulouse plant has been the centre of Blackbird assembly while the Ukrainian line, set up in late 2025, lets the company iterate on field data from operational deployments.
A Hot Counter-Drone Funding Cycle
The raise lands inside an unusually busy counter-UAS funding cycle. Stark Defence closed in on a €300M round at a €2.5B valuation this month, Anduril locked in a $1.98B Kuwait counter-drone contract, and Helsing is closing on a $1.2B raise. Air Street partner Nathan Benaich said the firm is doubling down on AI-first defence; Alta Ares joins a portfolio that also includes drone software startup Auterion.
Reporting based on coverage from TNW, AeroTime, and Global Banking & Finance.