Orbotix Secures €6.5M to Power Europe’s AI-Driven Defense Autonomy

WARSAW, Poland - In a significant boost to Europe’s emerging defense technology ecosystem, Orbotix, a Warsaw-headquartered company specializing in AI-powered autonomous drone systems, has raised €6.5 million in strategic funding to accelerate its mission of building sovereign, software-driven defense capabilities across the continent.

The investment round, led by BVVC Fund with participation from Gustav Söhne Verwaltung GmbH & Co. KG and Leryon Global Holdings, marks one of the largest early-stage raises in Europe’s autonomous defense sector this year.

Founded by Bogdan Ochiana (Romania) and Sebastian Straube (Poland), Orbotix is developing next-generation autonomous aerial systems designed to enhance Europe’s technological and operational independence, particularly along the Eastern Flank — the region most exposed to modern hybrid and kinetic threats.

“This investment is more than just capital — it’s a signal that the EU is ready to elevate defense to its full potential,” said CEO Bogdan Ochiana. “Our generation will be measured by how we rise to the challenge now, not tomorrow.”

The funding will be used to expand AI swarming technologies, bolster micromanufacturing facilities across the EU, and advance distributed production models aimed at delivering NATO-aligned capabilities under European control.

According to CSO Sebastian Straube, “Building this capacity inside Europe is strategically vital. With our base on the Eastern Flank, we’re ensuring the region most threatened leads in developing the systems that will safeguard the continent’s future.”

A Strategic Bet on Europe’s Defense Sovereignty

BVVC’s Joe Musselman described the investment as a long-term commitment to transatlantic defense readiness:

“Swarm autonomy will decide outcomes on tomorrow’s battlefields. Orbotix is building it now — in Europe, at scale, under allied control. Their operator-first design and wartime pace of execution are exactly what NATO needs.”

The deal also attracted the attention of Gustav Söhne, a family-owned company with deep roots in maritime defense since 1884. Chairman Jan Dirk Elstermann emphasized that supporting Orbotix aligns with Europe’s values:

“We see this as essential to defend freedom, expression, and tolerance — the very foundations of Europe.”

Europe’s Defense Innovation Moment

While the United States has spent the past decade cultivating defense tech startups through programs like the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), Europe is now accelerating its own transformation. Orbotix represents the new generation of European defense ventures — venture-backed, mission-driven, and built to move fast and scale in response to evolving security demands.

The company’s AI-driven modular systems are designed for interoperability and collaboration, advancing Europe’s ambition to build autonomous and adaptive defense capabilities without relying on external primes.

With war reshaping Europe’s defense priorities, Orbotix’s rise signals a broader continental shift — one where startups, venture capital, and strategic autonomy converge to define the future of warfare.

About Bravo Victor Venture Capital (BVVC) and Joe Musselman

Bravo Victor Venture Capital (BVVC) is a U.S.-based early-seed and Series A investment firm headquartered in Chicago, focused on defense and dual-use technologies. The fund supports companies developing critical capabilities for national security and allied resilience.

Joe Musselman, the fund’s Founder and Managing Partner, oversees its strategic direction and investment operations. He also leads School.House, a venture platform created to support national security founders and strengthen innovation networks across the U.S. defense sector.

Since 2019, BVVC has invested in a range of early-stage and growth companies shaping next-generation defense and industrial capacity, including Tive, X-Bow Systems, Firestorm, Epsilon3, Vatn, HavocAI, Tern, and emerging leaders such as Anduril, Figure, and Epirus.

Musselman also co-founded and chairs UNION, an energetics company building allied-controlled supply chains for critical materials — reflecting BVVC’s broader focus on strengthening industrial foundations in the defense sector.