The Munich-based remote-control specialist Fernride announced on September 4 the expansion of its Series-A financing round and will receive a further 18 million euros, according to the company. This increases the total financing volume to around 75 million euros, according to a press release. With the fresh capital, Fernride aims to accelerate the development and deployment of dual-use solutions for autonomous logistics in Europe. In civil logistics the company already counts customers such as HHLA, Volkswagen and DB Schenker.
Now Fernride intends to apply its technology and expertise to defense logistics in another critical field as well.
Former Hensoldt CEO to join Fernride's Supervisory Board
The capital increase is cited by Helantic in the press release and supported by several dual-use investors, including Thomas Müller, former CEO of Hensoldt and supervisory board member of Airbus Defence, who will also take a seat on Fernride's advisory board. In addition to existing investors expanding their commitment, new strategic investors, family
offices and venture-capital firms are said to be participating in the round.
Fernride's technology is already in use at key nodes of European infrastructure, for example in container terminals, it says.
Following the first safety certification of an autonomous terminal tractor by TÜV SÜD and the transition to operations without a safety driver, the company, according to its own statements, is preparing the large-scale rollout of its solutions. With the additional capital, Fernride now intends to expand the scope
of its autonomous platform into defense logistics and thus send a clear signal of the growing demand for dual-use technologies.
“Europe needs sovereignty in critical industries and technologies. Autonomous systems for container terminals and defense are decisive for this,” explains Hendrik Kramer, CEO and co-founder of Fernride. Thomas Müller, new advisory board member of Fernride, adds: “Fernride’s technology has already proven itself in civilian logistics – its enormous potential to protect lives and strengthen Europe’s defense forces is indisputable.”
