Ground drones from Munich: ARX Robotics raises 31 million euros in Series A round

ARX Robotics has raised 31 million euros in a Series A round that has now been successfully closed. HV Capital is lead investor; Omnes Capital is participating, and existing investors NATO Innovation Fund and Project A are also contributing significantly. The company develops ground drones, known in technical terms as unmanned ground vehicles (UGV).

With the new funds, “ARX is strengthening its leadership in modular, AI-driven ground robotics”, according to a recent press release.

The Munich-based company was founded by three former officers of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces): Marc Wietfeld (co-founder and CEO), Maximilian Wied (co-founder and CFO) and Stefan Roebel (co-founder and COO). Its goal is to make Europe more resilient. The portfolio includes mobile robotics such as ARX Mithra OS, the world's first independent AI operating system for legacy vehicles. It is designed to make armed forces modernising their fleets more efficient and give them better situational awareness.

“Demand for modular, software-defined defence systems is rising rapidly – and we are building the company that will shape this category in Europe,” CEO Marc Wietfeld stressed. He added: “We are pursuing a clear mission: building the next generation of defence infrastructure through scalable robotics and software. We are delighted by the trust of our renowned investors, who share and support this vision. This funding is an important milestone for ARX Robotics and a catalyst for our scaling.”

Ground drones with six European armed forces

ARX Robotics was founded in 2022. Since then, the company has become one of the leading UGV suppliers in key European markets – Germany, Ukraine and the United Kingdom are named. Its systems are currently in service with six European armed forces.

ARX has delivered the largest Western-developed UGV fleet to the Ukrainian army. The European Defence Agency (EDA) also recently commissioned the company for the first EU-wide initiative for innovation in the defence sector. According to ARX, its technology can upgrade more than 50,000 NATO vehicles. Because the entire supply chain is located in Europe, critical technologies are to remain in European hands – in the spirit of sovereignty and resilience.

Investors' views

Fabian Gruner, Partner at HV Capital, commented: “ARX shows that Europe can develop internationally competitive defence technology – modern, AI-based and sovereign. The success and growth of ARX underline the urgency and strength of their product. HV Capital is proud to support this outstanding team.”

Speaking for the NATO Innovation Fund, Partner Chris O’Connor said: “We are proud of the enormous progress ARX Robotics has made over the past year – from expanding its product portfolio for legacy fleets and geographic growth to building a world-class team. ARX has the largest Western UGV fleet deployed in Ukraine, and we look forward to continuing to support the company on its growth path within NATO.”

Following the Series A round, ARX Robotics is entering its next growth phase. Plans include massively expanding manufacturing capacity, driving expansion in Europe and further developing AI-enabled defence capabilities. The company also intends to invest in leading AI talent from Europe; Mithra OS is to become the backbone of autonomous defence.