Kelluu, a Finland-based developer of autonomous hydrogen-powered airships, has raised €15M ($17.75M) in Series A funding led by the NATO Innovation Fund. The company provides persistent, high-resolution aerial data collection for digital twins and surveillance, bridging low-resolution satellites and short-endurance drones. The capital will scale its airship fleet and expand operations in defense and environmental monitoring.
NATO Funds Arctic Airship Surveillance
The round comes amid renewed interest in airships for ISR, with LTA Research conducting Pathfinder 1 test flights over San Francisco in April 2026 and Hybrid Air Vehicles securing military reservations despite prototype setbacks. Cloudline raised $6M seed in December 2023 for autonomous airships in Africa. Kelluu's Arctic-capable, silent airships address Europe's low-altitude surveillance gaps amid geopolitical tensions.
Satellites Miss Low-Altitude Threats
Satellites offer broad coverage but lack resolution below clouds, while drones provide detail yet endure only hours in harsh conditions. Low-altitude threats demand persistent monitoring, especially in GNSS-jammed or Arctic environments. Kelluu's technology fills this void with 12+ hour missions at 1cm/pixel resolution.
Hydrogen Airships Enable Persistence
Kelluu's patented hydrogen-safe airships carry 6kg payloads for multispectral sensors, operating in -33°C Arctic conditions without emissions. They integrate with NATO systems like Palantir's Maven Smart System, proven in exercises such as Steadfast Dart 26. The fleet has logged over 50,000 km of flights, creating digital twins for sites like Terrafame's 60km² battery production facility.
As CEO Janne Hietala noted:
"We built Kelluu at the edge of Europe… That moment has arrived faster than anyone expected."
NIF Signals Defense Tech Bet
NATO Innovation Fund led the round—its first in Finland—alongside Keen Venture Partners, Gungnir Capital, and Tesi. This mission-focused capital validates Kelluu's dual-use ISR for NATO borders and civilian infrastructure like power grids and forests. Investors see airships as lower-cost alternatives to traditional systems.
Airships Market Gains Altitude
The airships market stood at $529M in 2023, projected to reach $950M by 2032 at 6.8% CAGR, per Acumen Research. Geopolitical shifts drive defense adoption, reviving lighter-than-air tech for sustainable surveillance. Kelluu operates the world's largest autonomous airship fleet, with NATO DIANA Phase 2 selection from 2600 applicants.
Ex-Air Force Leader Bolsters Credibility
Co-founder Jouni Lintu invented the airship tech, while Pasi Jokinen, former Finnish Air Force Commander and Lockheed Martin consultant, drives defense business development. CEO Janne Hietala scaled Valamis to $17M revenue. Aerospace engineer Ville Hietikko heads defense products, complemented by manufacturing and software experts.
Hiring Spree Targets Global Scale
Post-funding, Kelluu seeks Defence and Civilian Business Leads, AI Engineers for Kelluu AI Labs, and NATO Engagement roles. CEO Janne Hietala joined President Stubb's Canada delegation for Arctic expansion. Recent board additions include ex-Arctia CEO Tero Vauraste, signaling commercial acceleration.