Reijola-based deep tech firm Kelluu, which develops autonomous hydrogen-powered airships for persistent aerial intelligence, has raised €15 million in Series A funding to scale its technology, expand its fleet, and support international growth.
- Established in 2018 by Janne Hietala, Kelluu designs and operates autonomous airships for large-area data collection. It also develops the software platform that processes sensor data into geospatial intelligence.
- The airships can remain airborne for up to 12 hours and carry multiple sensors, including imaging and mapping systems, to capture high-resolution data over wide areas. Operating below cloud level, they are intended to bridge the gap between satellites, which offer limited detail, and drones, which lack endurance. The systems are designed to operate in harsh conditions, including Arctic environments and areas affected by GPS interference.
- Data collected by the fleet is transmitted to Kelluu’s platform, where it is processed into live monitoring feeds, digital twins, and change detection outputs used for situational awareness in defence, infrastructure monitoring, and environmental applications.
“We built Kelluu at the edge of Europe, in one of the hardest operating environments outside conflict zones, because we believe that persistent aerial intelligence would become critical infrastructure - not just for defence, but for the resilience of entire countries. That moment has arrived faster than anyone expected," claims Janne Hietala, CEO of Kelluu.
Details of the deal
- The funding round was led by the NATO Innovation Fund, a €1 billion venture fund backed by 24 NATO member states, with participation from Keen Venture Partners, Gungnir Capital, and Tesi.
“Kelluu offers NATO nations persistent, wide-area monitoring and data gathering in challenging environments. We are pleased to be backing a company that has built a technology with support from NATO’s DIANA that strengthens the Alliance’s deterrence posture, situational awareness, and resilience," explains Patrick Schneider-Sikorsky, Partner at NATO Innovation Fund.
