Destinus

📂 Hardware & Deep Tech📍 Hengelo🗓️ Founded: 2021

Destinus is a European defence manufacturer based in Hengelo, the Netherlands, making strike and air-defence systems. In October 2026 it began a commercial partnership with Helsing.

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About Destinus

Destinus is a European defence manufacturer founded in 2021 by Mikhail Kokorich, growing out of a hypersonic aviation research project. It was originally based in Payerne, Switzerland, and moved to Hengelo in the Netherlands in November 2024, according to Escudo Digital. It has production in the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Ukraine; other sources also cite France, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Its range includes Ruta, a cruise missile system used by Ukraine's armed forces since 2023, with Block 2 unveiled in early 2026 (250 kg payload, range up to 450 km); Hornet, an interceptor drone being tested by the French Army; and Kryla, a saturation strike system. In April 2026 it announced the Rheinmetall Destinus Strike Systems joint venture with Rheinmetall (51%) and Destinus (49%), due to start in the second half of 2026. On 20 October 2026 it set up a commercial partnership with Helsing and on 21 October acquired Perciv AI to bring radar perception in-house. The Next Web reports nearly €400 million raised, including €140 million in convertible instruments and shareholder loans, a €50 million Commerzbank facility from December 2025 and talks about a roughly €200 million pre-IPO raise ahead of a planned Amsterdam listing. In 2025 it agreed to buy Swiss company Daedalean for $225 million. Bloomberg reports that Helsing is negotiating a minority stake at about €6 billion: nothing is signed and the figure is unconfirmed.

The Story

Founded in 2021 by Mikhail Kokorich from a hypersonic aviation project, the company has been based in the Netherlands since November 2024 after starting out in Switzerland.

How Destinus works

Business Model

Vertically integrated manufacture of weapon systems for European and allied armed forces, with industrial joint ventures.

Revenue Model

Sales of weapon systems and contracts; revenue not verified (one outlet reports forecast revenue of about €500 million).

Products & Services

Key Products

Ruta (Block 1–3)
Hornet (Block 1 e 2)
Kryla
Vorexon e sottosistemi

Core Use Cases

Long-range precision strike
Interception of drones and subsonic threats
Coordinated saturation strike

Market & Clients

Key Customers

Ukraine's armed forces have used Ruta since 2023; the French Army is testing Hornet; Rheinmetall is an industrial partner. The company is reported to have about 750 people and more than 2,000 cruise missile systems a year (The Next Web).

Geographic Presence

NLDEESCHUAFR

How Destinus competes

Competitive Advantages

Vertically integrated European production
Battlefield feedback loop and software-centric development

How Destinus grows

Growth Strategy

Build industrial capacity with Rheinmetall, bring radar perception and AI in-house (Perciv AI, Daedalean) and prepare an Amsterdam listing.

Distribution Model

Sales to European and allied armed forces and governments; joint ventures and industrial partnerships.

Regulatory Context

Weapon systems subject to export controls and national authorisations.

Key Risks

Funding and valuation sources are press reports, not the company.
Exposure to political and defence procurement decisions.

Strategic Insights

The Rheinmetall joint venture and Helsing partnership are built on production capacity and software.
Valuation and funding figures are reported by the press, not by the company.

Funding & Investors

Total Funding

Quasi 400 milioni di euro raccolti secondo The Next Web (maggio 2026), inclusi 140 milioni in strumenti convertibili e prestiti dei soci; storico dei round, date e investitori non verificato.