Munich’s FERNRIDE Secures €18 Million Series A Extension, Total Funding Reaches €75 Million

The round is led by Helantic and includes dual-use investors like Thomas Müller, former Hensoldt CEO, who joins the Board, along with new strategic investors and VCs.

"Europe needs sovereignty in critical industries and technologies. Autonomous systems for Container Terminals and Defence are mission-critical for Europe’s future," said Hendrik Kramer, CEO and Co-founder of FERNRIDE. "Our solution is already operating in essential infrastructure, keeping goods moving at container terminals. With this new investment, we’ll expand our technology platform to serve defence logistics, ensuring safer operations, addressing personnel shortages, and ultimately protecting lives."

Founded in 2019 after a decade of research at TU Munich, FERNRIDE employs over 150 people and provides a ground autonomy platform for scalable automation across industries—from container terminals and yard operations to defense logistics and open-road trucking. Combining AI autonomy, human oversight, and modular hardware, it delivers Europe’s first fully certified autonomous trucking system in 2025.

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"We’ve shown that autonomy can solve real-world problems in civilian supply chains. Now we’re stepping up to serve European defence forces with the same mission: protect lives, boost resilience, and put humans back in control, just not always behind the wheel," added Kramer.

FERNRIDE, known for transforming logistics for clients like HHLA, Volkswagen, and DB Schenker, is now moving into defence logistics. Its technology already in use at key European sites like container terminals, will scale after TÜV SÜD granted the first safety certification for an autonomous terminal tractor. New funding will accelerate dual-use solutions enhancing both commercial efficiency and strategic resilience.

FERNRIDE is preparing to scale its container terminal operations following TÜV SÜD’s first ever safety certification for an autonomous terminal tractor allowing driverless use.

The new funding will accelerate FERNRIDE’s expansion into defence logistics, responding to rising demand for dual-use solutions that enhance both commercial efficiency and strategic resilience.

Thomas Müller, who joins the Advisory Board of FERNRIDE, commented: "FERNRIDE’s technology has already proven itself in civilian logistics, and its high potential to protect lives and strengthen Europe’s defence forces is undeniable. This is exactly the kind of Made-in-Germany innovation we need to ensure technological sovereignty."

With this launch, FERNRIDE seeks to increase operational flexibility, safeguard personnel in high-risk areas, and enable defence organisations to redeploy skilled staff from repetitive transport duties to higher-value, strategic tasks.

About FERNRRIDE

FERNRRIDE is redefining logistics automation with AI-powered ground autonomy. From container terminals to defence logistics and open-road trucking the platform combines modular hardware with human oversight, boosting efficiency, safety and scalability. Trusted by blue-chip clients and backed by €75M funding, FERNRIDE is driving the future of autonomous logistics in Europe.