Destinus Group BV has finalized its acquisition of Swiss AI leader Daedalean AG in a deal valued at approximately $225 million. The strategic move establishes Daedalean as a central engineering and research hub within Destinus, significantly boosting the company’s capabilities in artificial intelligence, autonomy, and advanced perception for both civil and defense applications.
Daedalean will continue its core mission of developing AI systems for civilian aviation, focusing on safety-critical autonomy, pilot assistance, and next-generation navigation. Within the Destinus ecosystem, this expertise will now rapidly accelerate defense-focused programs. Key applications include resilient navigation without GPS for contested environments, advanced seeker technologies for interceptors and cruise missiles, and autonomous decision-making for high-speed platforms. The integration also extends to enabling swarming capabilities for unmanned systems and AI-driven sensor fusion for battlefield operations.
This acquisition solidifies Destinus’s position in delivering sovereign European AI for autonomous systems. It reinforces the company’s model of vertically integrated defense production, supporting national security needs while contributing to the long-term modernization of civil aviation.
As part of the transition, former Daedalean CEO Bas Gouverneur becomes Destinus’s Chief Military Program Officer, overseeing military programs and AI integration. Daedalean’s former VP of Finance & Operations, Yvonne Gross, joins as Director of Operations and Infrastructure. Destinus also announced the appointment of Brontë Hamilton as its new Chief Financial Officer to manage financial strategy during this expansion phase.
Mikhail Kokorich, Founder and CEO of Destinus, commented on the milestone: “Finalizing this acquisition is crucial for Europe’s ability to build sovereign, high-performance AI for defense and civil aviation. Daedalean brings exceptional talent in safety-critical AI. Together, we will accelerate next-generation autonomous systems across our platforms while advancing aviation safety.”
