Why we invested in SE3

Autonomous systems are arriving on the battlefield in growing numbers and in growing variety: heterogeneous fleets of platforms from different manufacturers, operating side by side across air and land.

Electronic warfare means they have to work without satellite navigation and without a reliable link back to an operator. That is not an edge case; it is the starting assumption. In that environment, autonomy only works if a machine can understand where it is and what surrounds it, in three dimensions, on its own.

That is spatial intelligence, and it is one of the hardest problems in physical AI. SE3 is solving it.

Seeing is not understanding

Most autonomous systems can see. Very few understand what they are looking at. SE3 builds the spatial intelligence layer that closes that gap: it fuses sensor data from different platforms into a shared 3D picture of the terrain, running entirely at the edge, whatever the platform it sits on.

Terrain awareness changes what autonomy can do. A system with spatial intelligence can plan missions in three dimensions, using ridgelines, valleys and buildings, choosing routes and positions, and coordinating with other assets without waiting for a human to do it for them. Operators command the whole fleet by voice.

Crucially, SE3 is platform-agnostic. As armed forces move towards modular, open architectures, they need a neutral software layer that works across manufacturers rather than competing with them. SE3 is built to be exactly that.

From lab to field

SE3 spun out of Professor Daniel Cremers’ computer vision lab at the Technical University of Munich, one of the leading groups in the field worldwide. Lukas Köstler and Simon Klenk were completing their PhDs there when they started the company.

World-class research teams are rare. Research teams that move this fast are rarer. SE3 tests in the field early and often. While developing the product, the team is willing to lose a drone if that is what it takes to learn faster. That mindset is why, in two years, they have gone from the lab to thousands of systems delivered, with their technology already deployed in Ukraine. The density of talent is striking, and the team continues to attract top engineers who want to work on the hardest version of the problem.

Validated where it matters

SE3 is working on contracts with the Bundeswehr and Ukraine, and is an AI partner to primes such as HENSOLDT and to autonomy software providers such as Auterion. For a company at this stage, validation across end users, primes and platform providers at the same time is unusual. It tells us SE3 is not just strong technology, but one the ecosystem is already building around.

What’s next

With the Series A, SE3 will grow its engineering, commercial and operations teams, strengthen its presence in Germany and Ukraine, open an office in the UK, and expand further across Europe. Defence remains the focus: it is where Europe needs spatial intelligence most, and the hardest place to get it right. Technology that works there will work anywhere, and civilian applications will follow.

We are excited to partner with Lukas, Simon, Daniel and the SE3 team, alongside Accel, who led the round, and with the continued support of Lakestar and Seedcamp.

Press Release:

SE3 raises $30M Series A led by Accel, with Keen Venture Partners to bring spatial intelligence to autonomous systems

SE3 is building the software layer that enables autonomous systems to perceive, reason and act in complex physical environments

Munich, Germany, 12 November 2026 – SE3, the European spatial intelligence provider for autonomous systems, today announced it has raised $30 million in Series A funding. Accel led the round, with participation from Keen Venture Partners, alongside continued support from Lakestar and Seedcamp.

SE3 combines computer vision and AI to help machines turn sensor data into spatial understanding, so they can operate autonomously in real-world conditions, where electronic warfare and satellite navigation disruption are the norm. Its platform-agnostic software connects unmanned systems from different manufacturers and fuses their sensor data into a shared 3D picture of the environment. It runs entirely on the edge, and one operator can command multiple systems by voice.

SE3 works alongside hardware manufacturers rather than competing with them. That matters as defence procurement moves towards modularity and interoperability. In the last two years SE3 has shipped thousands of systems. It is deployed in Ukraine and working with Ukraine, the Bundeswehr, primes, and leading autonomy software providers.

SE3 was founded by CEO Lukas Köstler, CTO Simon Klenk and Chief Science Officer Professor Daniel Cremers. The company spun out of Cremers’ computer vision lab at the Technical University of Munich, where Köstler and Klenk were working on their PhDs.

“Autonomy in contested environments is a sovereignty question for Europe. SE3 combines deep research with an architecture that hardware manufacturers can adopt without being forced to re-engineer their systems, a great example of new defence tech integrating seamlessly with existing hardware. We are proud to back Lukas, Simon, Daniel and the rest of the team on this.” – Alexander Ribbink, General Partner, Keen Venture Partners

“Autonomous systems can see, but very few have a sense of place. SE3 gives them one. In just two years, Lukas, Simon and Daniel have taken it from a university lab to thousands of systems in the field, including in Ukraine. Defence is where Europe needs this most, and the hardest place to get it right. Technology that works there will work anywhere.” Tomek Lepka, Investment Manager, Keen Venture Partners