Pleno buys strongly: Berlin's defense startup is building on drone software

According to media reports, the weapon startup Stark is said to have bought the Berlin Ki startup pleno. With the aim of developing drones that can navigate independently.

The German Defense-Tech startup, specializing in autonomous fight drones, has taken over the Berlin tech company Pleno, which produces autonomous navigation software for drones, as Sifted reports.

Ngurah Linggih and Nino Lindenberg founded pleno only two years ago. The startup develops AI agents for autonomous drones. The drones should fly through the pleno solution without satellite positioning through purely visual navigation and use neuronal networks for target acquisition.

Linggih did his master's degree at the WHU in Vallendar and worked as a consultant at PWC, as a project manager at Zalando and as a senior solution manager at Celonis.

After completing his military training in Germany, Lindenberg studied computer software engineering at Code University and worked as a software developer in various companies.

“Ideal addition to strong”

Stark was founded in 2024 by Florian Seibel, who was previously founder of the German Drone Unicorn Quantum Systems. Among other things, he left Quantum Systems because some of the company's investors were against weapons developments, according to Sifted.

Florian Seibel is currently no longer working in the operational business, but remains a start -up investor.

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The acquisition has not been strongly confirmed to Sifted, the article says. According to the online magazine military, Johannes Schaaback, co -founder and CTO of Stark, is said to have said that pleno is the “ideal addition to strong – technological and cultural”.

Stark wants to strengthen NATO and European armed forces technologically

“We combine the vision of secure and efficient automation for effective systems. With pleno we not only bring leading AI competence into the house, but also a team with a focus, perseverance and implementation strength. We are pleased to welcome Nino in the strong family,” he is cited in the article.

It also says that Stark and Pleno are planning to further promote the development of GNSS-independent swarm technologies.

Systems are to be created that are operational even without permanent radio connection. The goal is strongly pursuing the technological skills of NATO and the European armed forces.

Investor Uwe Horstmann is said to be a new strong CEO

Most recently it was announced that the Berlin investor Uwe Horstmann, known as co-founder of the early phase investor Project A, which CEO role is said to have taken over, as Table Media is said to have learned from industry circles. This was never confirmed by Stark and Project A.

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The Stark team is top -class:

• Johannes Schabackformerly CTO at Home24 and Sumup, the technology should be responsible, according to Table Media.
• Philip Lockwoodformerly head of the NATO innovation department, leads the international business, as the Handelsblatt reported.
• According to Table Media Reinforcement Johannes Arlt (SPD) Management as Senior Vice President. The air force officer was a member of the Bundestag defense committee until 2025.