Airship Company Kelluu Raises €15 Million to Build a Persistent Aerial Intelligence Layer

Kelluu, a Finnish deep tech company operating the world’s largest autonomous airship fleet, has raised €15 million in Series A funding. The round was led by the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), a €1 billion fund backed by 24 NATO countries. This marks the fund’s first investment in a Finnish company.

The round also included defence technology-focused Keen Venture Partners, Sweden’s Gungnir Capital, and the Finnish state-owned investment company Tesi.

Satellites provide broad coverage, but their resolution is insufficient for many operational needs. Drones produce accurate data but cannot remain airborne for long periods, and ground-based radar systems are fixed and vulnerable. At the same time, hybrid warfare, GPS interference and electronic warfare have become everyday realities at Europe’s borders.

Kelluu’s technology is addressing this gap. The company’s autonomous, hydrogen-powered airships fly below cloud level for up to 12 hours at a time, producing centimetre-level accurate data across large areas. For example, five Kelluu airships can cover approximately 30,000 square kilometres, an area comparable to the size of Belgium.

The technology has been developed and tested in one of Europe’s most demanding environments. Kelluu’s factory is located in Joensuu, around 60 kilometres from the Finnish-Russian border, in conditions characterised by continuous electronic interference and Arctic weather. The fleet has flown more than 50,000 kilometres, including 12-hour missions in temperatures as low as –33°C.

NATO compatibility proven in practice

In February 2026, Kelluu carried out real-time integration with the Maven Smart System during the Steadfast Dart 26 exercise in Germany. In the NATO exercise, involving 10,000 troops and 13 countries, Kelluu was able to provide allied forces with real-time video and geolocation data directly into command systems. Weeks earlier, Kelluu demonstrated its continuous autonomous flight capability and NATO compatibility in a defence demonstration related to Finland’s eastern border. This year, Kelluu has also tested its technology with NATO forces in Norway and in NATO Maritime Command (MARCOM) exercises. Kelluu has been part of NATO’s DIANA programme since 2024, when it was selected among 15 companies from more than 2,600 applicants.

Global developments have increased the importance of Kelluu’s work. Ongoing cooperation with NATO and allied forces shows that the company is ready to operate as part of international defence. However, Kelluu’s mission is even broader: to build a permanent autonomous aerial infrastructure covering entire countries and creating a continuous intelligence layer that strengthens security, critical infrastructure and environmental resilience at the same time.

Funding to support international growth, expansion and AI development

The funding will be used to support expansion into international markets, further development of artificial intelligence through Kelluu AI Labs, growth of the airship fleet and strengthening of the team.

At Kelluu AI Labs, the company is developing geospatial artificial intelligence that enables AI systems to better understand the physical world through more precise data.

Kelluu’s dual-use technology is also applied in civilian environments. The company’s technology has already proven effective in forest monitoring, weather data production and smart city monitoring. It produces highly accurate digital twins of areas and offers a significantly more cost-efficient alternative to traditional manned aviation. The technology can be used in both remote and densely populated environments.

Quotes

Kelluu CEO Janne Hietala says: “Kelluu was founded on Europe’s eastern edge, which is perhaps one of the most challenging operating environments in peacetime. At the time, we believed that persistent aerial intelligence would one day become part of critical infrastructure. That moment has now arrived faster than expected. The same platform that strengthens NATO’s eastern flank also protects power grids, detects wildfires and produces environmental data. It also defines the next step in AI development based on the physical world. However, these are not separate missions – we produce data for all of them during the same flight.”

Patrick Schneider-Sikorsky, Partner at the NATO Innovation Fund, says: “Kelluu provides NATO countries with persistent, wide-area surveillance and data collection in challenging conditions. The technology enables comprehensive monitoring at significantly lower cost than traditional systems and even in GPS-denied or harsh weather environments. This opens up new possibilities for aerial intelligence. We are proud to support a company that, with the support of NATO’s DIANA programme, has developed technology that strengthens the alliance’s effectiveness, situational awareness and resilience.”

Giuseppe Lacerenza of Keen Venture Partners says: “The gap between surveillance needs and the performance of current systems is widening. Satellites pass too infrequently, lack sufficient accuracy or are affected by cloud cover. Drones have limited flight time and struggle in extreme cold. Keeping manned aircraft continuously airborne is extremely expensive. There are many platforms on the market claiming to fill this gap, but none operate in the same regions or conditions where Kelluu has already demonstrated its capabilities. This team has been forged on one of Europe’s most exposed borders and is led by experienced professionals who have built and scaled companies before. This is reflected both in the product and in the company’s leadership. We are proud to be part of this journey.”

Chair of the Board Tero Vauraste says: “On behalf of Kelluu’s customers, shareholders and personnel, the Board would like to express its sincere thanks to the investors at a time when innovative services play a crucial role in building a secure future.”

About Kelluu

Founded in Joensuu in 2018, Kelluu is a deep tech company operating the world’s largest autonomous airship fleet. The company designs, manufactures and operates hydrogen-powered lighter-than-air platforms that provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance for defence, border security, critical infrastructure and environmental sectors.

Source: Kelluu's pressrelease