Helsing vs Saildrone
Side-by-side equity comparison for employees weighing offers at Helsing or Saildrone. Valuations, funding history, headcount growth, and secondary-market context.
| Helsing | Saildrone | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest valuation | $14B | Not publicly disclosed |
| Latest round | Series C | Series D |
| Round date | September 2024 | June 2024 |
| Total raised | $750M | $350M |
| Founded | 2021 | 2012 |
| Headquarters | Munich, Germany | Alameda, CA |
| Employees | 672 | 245 |
| Employee YoY growth | +64% | +7% |
| Primary industry | Aerospace & Defense | Aerospace & Defense |
| Secondary-market price | — | — |
| Base-case equity multiple | — | 1x |
| Upside equity multiple | — | 2x |
| Lead investors | General Catalyst | Social Capital, Lux Capital |
| Status | private | private |
Overview
European defense AI company building real-time AI software for military applications across air, land, sea, and cyber domains.
Designs and operates autonomous surface vehicles (uncrewed sailboats) that collect ocean data for climate research, maritime security, and fisheries management.
Why we compare these
Helsing and Saildrone both appear on Defense-tech unicorns .
If you're evaluating offers at either one, the equity math depends on more than the headline valuation — dilution, strike price, time to liquidity, and concentration risk all matter. Use our equity compensation calculator and exit calculator to model your own numbers.