ctg. morning brief, 2 sep 2026
On 2 Sep 2026, Inleap Photonics (Hannover) closed a €20m seed led by UVC Partners, on top of a €2m pre-seed. Laser counter-drone effectors. Company claims: 3 km range, up to 300 drones a minute, eye-safe enough for cities. Working with the Bundeswehr cyber innovation hub, BMVg, and stark. First units still in test; on the ground Q1 2027, including western Ukraine and grey-zone sites. Backers also include HTGF, balnord (Poland), sentris (Estonia), Scale Capital (Denmark).
Why it matters: Yesterday a Polish drone plant burned. Today German capital is funding a laser that needs no magazine. The intercept market is getting real cheques; the company numbers are theirs.
Source: https://resiliencemedia.co/inleap-raises-e20m-for-counter-drone-laser-effectors/
Schwarz Group (Lidl/Kaufland) will put up to €5.6bn into a data centre at Dummerstorf, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, by 2033. Target 240 MW, chosen for a 380 kV grid hookup, with a path they sketch to 1 GW by 2045. Wind-heavy north, free cooling, waste heat into Rostock district heating (LoI). STACKIT + OpenDesk for the state by end-2026.
Why it matters: The binding constraint is the wire, not the slab. A retailer just bought a place on the high-voltage line. Germany is building sovereign compute one connection at a time.
Source: https://europe-re.com/schwarz-group-commits-5-6bn-to-build-one-of-germany-s-largest-data-centres-in-mecklenburg-vorpommern/74658
Overnight on nwslttr.cz (Substack): Czech 2027 budget draft shows a 389 bn kč state deficit (~4.08% GDP). Public-finance balance 3.5%. Ministry press materials lean on 2.8% by stripping ~70 bn kč via the EU defence escape clause. Defence spending sits at 2.04% GDP, at risk of slipping under 2% if growth runs hot. Numbers are theirs.
Why it matters: Europe told itself defence spend is the fiscal exception. Prague just used the exception as a powerpoint trick. The magazine still has to get paid.
Source: https://www.nwslttr.cz/p/kreativni-manipulace-aleny-schillerove
Mykhailo Fedorov (ousted Ukrainian defence minister) and Palantir ceo Alex Karp announced a new defence company on 1 sep. Karp reached out after the July dismissal. Fedorov also says he is building a defence investment fund and advising Italy's defence ministry. Ukraine remains his stated priority.
Why it matters: The person who pushed delta off the battlefield is going private with the US firm already inside Brave1. Talent is leaving the ministry and taking the stack with it.
Source: https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2026/09/01/ousted-ukrainian-defense-chief-lands-palantir-ceo-as-first-investor-in-new-venture/