BYD to produce trucks in Europe in bid to become "European company"

Swedish drone detection firm Freya Industries has successfully secured a capital round of €533,000 (SEK 6 million) to support its expansion across Europe. The funding was utilized to meet customer orders, expand their workforce, and roll out their technology across the European market. The round attracted participation from various investors including Foundry Ventures, Longswan Ventures, Propel Capital, Saminvest (via Annexstruktur), Schyssta Änglar, Sting, and individual private investors.

Jonas Åström, the founder and CEO of Freya Industries, explained that their sensors do more than just record data; they actively interpret the situation. This software-based intelligence allows the sensors to be cost-effective enough for widespread deployment, whether it's for personal protection or securing facilities. The company's sensors are designed to detect both drones and their operators, utilizing multiple detection methods combined with intelligent software.

They target affordability to make their products accessible to a broader range of sites needing protection.

Freya Industries is also developing intelligent personal alarms for professional use and other sensors aimed at safeguarding infrastructure. These products integrate with Freya's analytics platform, which offers security personnel and their clients a unified view of the sites and staff, along with predictive AI models that anticipate potential risks before they materialize. Ensuring the safety and resilience of their hardware and software in challenging environments has been a priority throughout the company's development.

The recent €533,000 funding comes at a time when European investment in defence and sensing technologies is on the rise, particularly by 2026. Other notable examples include Finland's Kelluu, which raised €15 million for its aerial intelligence platform, and UK-based Silicon Microgravity, which secured €7.08 million to commercialize GPS-free sensing and navigation technology for defense, space, and autonomous systems.

Estonia’s Frankenburg Technologies also raised €30 million to bolster its missile defense capabilities, including radar, tracking, and sensor fusion. Despite Freya's earlier stage and smaller scale compared to these companies, its emphasis on low-cost, software-driven sensors aligns with the broader European trend towards more distributed, deployable, and intelligence-enabled defense and security systems.