Hypersonics & Propulsion startups in Europe
Engines, thrusters and high-speed vehicles: hypersonic test platforms, rocket and spaceplane propulsion, and new powertrains for drones. Europe wants its own capability in a field long dominated by the US, China and Russia.
Ariane 5 ES lifts off at night from Kourou, 2013. Photo: DLR German Aerospace Center / Thilo Kranz, CC BY 2.0.
Latest rounds
| Date | Company | Round | Amount | Country | Sector |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | HyImpulse | Series A extension | €50M | Germany | Hypersonics & Propulsion |
| Jul 2026 | Greenjets | Series A | $40M | United Kingdom | Hypersonics & Propulsion |
| Jun 2026 | GATE Space | EIC Accelerator | €6.3M | Austria | Hypersonics & Propulsion |
| Mar 2026 | Enpulsion | Growth | €22.5M | Austria | Hypersonics & Propulsion |
| 10 Feb 2026 | Hypersonica | Series A | €23.3M | Germany | Hypersonics & Propulsion |
| Jun 2025 | POLARIS Raumflugzeuge | Seed top-up | €5.4M | Germany | Hypersonics & Propulsion |
All companies
Full directoryHyImpulse
Neuenstadt am Kocher, GermanyDLR spin-off developing hybrid-propulsion rockets; its SR75 suborbital vehicle serves defence, hypersonic testing and threat simulation.
Greenjets
London, United KingdomDevelops ducted fan electric propulsion, airframes and launch systems for drones, including engines for low-cost drone interceptors.
GATE Space
Vienna, AustriaDevelops refuelable green-propellant rocket engines and mobility solutions for satellite manoeuvring, collision avoidance and disposal.
Enpulsion
Vienna, AustriaMakes FEEP electric propulsion systems for nano and microsatellites, used for satellite manoeuvring in constellations.
Hypersonica
Wessling (Munich area), GermanyDeveloping European hypersonic strike missiles and glide vehicles; prototype flew above Mach 6 from Andøya, Norway, in 2026.
POLARIS Raumflugzeuge
Bremen, GermanyDevelops reusable spaceplanes and hypersonic test vehicles using aerospike engines, under contract to Germany's defence procurement office.