Building Defense Technologies to Protect Democracies | Torsten Reil, Helsing

The future of warfare is shifting from human-centric platforms like tanks and battleships to autonomous systems capable of operating at scale. Modern battlefields are increasingly lethal for humans, making the mass production of AI-controlled drones and autonomous fighter jets essential for both deterrence and survival. Helsing, a European defense tech company, exemplifies this transition by integrating AI into hardware to overcome jamming and navigate complex environments without GPS. Success in this sector demands that founders move beyond traditional procurement cycles, embracing vertical integration and aggressive talent management to build systems that can be manufactured in high volumes. By leveraging reinforcement learning and superhuman AI pilots, defense technology is evolving into a battle of material where software-defined capabilities provide a decisive advantage, rendering traditional, slow-moving military assets increasingly vulnerable.