DRONAMICS Expands Into Defense as Hungary Startup Sets Pre-Seed Record

Central and Eastern Europe’s technology sector saw two significant milestones this week: Bulgarian drone innovator DRONAMICS announced its entry into the defense industry, while a Hungarian startup clinched a record-breaking pre-seed investment. These developments highlight the region’s growing influence on the European startup landscape and underscore the increasing investor confidence in CEE innovation.

DRONAMICS Moves Into Defense Applications

DRONAMICS, a Sofia-based company known for its pioneering drone logistics solutions, confirmed its expansion into the defense sector this week. The company, previously focused on commercial cargo delivery, is now adapting its Black Swan drones for defense use. This strategic shift opens new opportunities for DRONAMICS to address military logistics, reconnaissance, and humanitarian supply missions, leveraging its proven autonomous aircraft technology.

The company’s official announcement detailed plans to collaborate with government agencies and defense contractors, ensuring compliance with NATO standards and local regulations. While no specific defense contracts have been disclosed, DRONAMICS’ move is seen as a significant step forward for CEE-based deep tech firms seeking to diversify applications and revenue streams beyond the commercial sector.

Hungarian Startup Achieves Record Pre-Seed Investment

Meanwhile, the Hungarian startup ecosystem celebrated a record-setting pre-seed funding round this week. Hiventures, Hungary’s state-backed venture capital arm, led the investment. Although the company name and funding amount have not been publicly disclosed, The Recursive and Hiventures confirmed that this deal marks the largest pre-seed investment ever recorded in Hungary.

This achievement underscores the increasing appetite for early-stage investments in the region. Data from the Dealroom CEE startup database and CEE Startup Ecosystem Data Dashboard shows that Hungarian startups have attracted growing venture capital interest, with pre-seed and seed investments on a steady upward trajectory over the past 24 months. The record round reflects both the maturity of Hungary’s support infrastructure and the region’s ambition to compete internationally in deep tech, AI, and SaaS sectors.

Central and Eastern Europe’s Startup Momentum

• According to EU-Startups’ latest reports, CEE startups raised more than €3 billion in 2025, with Hungary and Bulgaria among the top five countries for investment volume.
• The Crunchbase Hungary Startups database lists over 1,200 active startups, illustrating the country’s vibrant entrepreneurial landscape.
• DRONAMICS’ expansion signals broader opportunities for CEE firms to diversify into dual-use and defense technologies, a trend further encouraged by increased NATO and EU interest in regional innovation capabilities.

Analysis: What These Moves Mean for the Region

Industry analysts see these developments as evidence of a maturing ecosystem in Central and Eastern Europe. The region is now producing globally competitive startups and attracting cross-border capital. The DRONAMICS announcement demonstrates how CEE-born technology can serve both commercial and government markets, while the record Hungarian pre-seed investment points to deeper pools of risk capital and more ambitious founders.

As the CEE startup ecosystem grows, observers expect more companies to pursue dual-use applications and larger funding rounds. With supportive policy frameworks and increasing international visibility, the region is poised to further accelerate its tech sector growth in 2026 and beyond.