As modern warfare rapidly evolves, defence systems built for traditional threats are struggling to keep pace with a new reality shaped by low cost drones and mass produced munitions. French defence tech startup EGIDE has emerged to address this shift, raising €8 million in seed funding to develop a new generation of scalable and affordable interception systems.
The round was co led by Expeditions, Eurazeo, and Heartcore Capital, with additional participation from Galion.exe and Kima Ventures. The funding will support the company’s efforts to design advanced interceptor technologies and expand its engineering team across Europe.
Responding to a new kind of threat
Recent conflicts have highlighted how quickly inexpensive drones can overwhelm legacy defence systems. Traditional interception technologies were designed to counter a limited number of high value threats, but are increasingly ineffective against large volumes of agile and low cost aerial systems.
This imbalance has created both operational and economic challenges for defence forces. High cost interceptors are often deployed against relatively inexpensive drones, making current approaches unsustainable over time.
EGIDE was founded to address this gap by developing systems specifically designed for the realities of modern conflict, where adaptability, scalability, and cost efficiency are critical.
Building next generation interceptors
At the core of EGIDE’s technology is a new type of electrically propelled interceptor. These systems are designed to be more affordable and easier to deploy at scale compared to traditional solutions.
The company is also developing Mystique, a software platform that integrates distributed sensors, artificial intelligence driven detection, and layered interception capabilities. This combination allows the system to identify and respond to threats in real time, improving both speed and accuracy.
The architecture is designed to be flexible and hardware agnostic, enabling integration across different defence platforms and operational environments. This adaptability is particularly important in a landscape where threats are constantly evolving.
Founders with deep defence expertise
EGIDE was founded in 2025 by Simon Calonne and Florian Audigier, both of whom bring extensive experience from the aerospace and defence sector. Their backgrounds in areas such as guidance systems and warhead design have shaped the company’s technical approach.
Drawing on this expertise, the founders are focused on building systems that can be rapidly iterated and adapted to new threats. This emphasis on continuous development is intended to ensure that the technology remains effective as battlefield conditions change.
Supporting Europe’s defence transformation
The launch of EGIDE comes at a time when Europe is reassessing its defence capabilities. Ongoing geopolitical tensions and recent conflicts have underscored the need for more resilient and cost effective systems.
There is growing recognition that existing defence infrastructure must evolve to address emerging threats, particularly those posed by autonomous and low cost technologies. EGIDE aims to play a role in this transition by developing solutions that can be deployed widely and integrated into existing systems.
The company’s vision extends beyond military applications to include the protection of critical infrastructure, reflecting the broader impact of modern security challenges.
Scaling technology and talent
With the new funding, EGIDE plans to accelerate the development and production of its interceptor systems while continuing to refine its software platform. A key priority will be expanding its engineering team, bringing together specialists in areas such as electric propulsion, aerodynamics, and software development.
By building a multidisciplinary team, the company aims to advance both the hardware and software components of its platform in parallel.
Toward a new defence paradigm
EGIDE’s approach reflects a broader shift in defence technology, where scalability and affordability are becoming as important as performance. As threats become more numerous and diverse, systems must be capable of operating effectively at scale without prohibitive costs.
By combining advanced engineering with artificial intelligence and modular design, EGIDE is positioning itself to contribute to a new generation of defence capabilities.
As Europe continues to adapt to changing security dynamics, startups like EGIDE are playing an increasingly important role in shaping the future of defence. With fresh capital and a clear focus on modern challenges, the company is working to redefine how interception systems are built and deployed in an era of rapidly evolving threats.
