Skypuzzler closes seed round with Rethink Ventures and EIC Fund to scale digital Air Traffic Control for drones
- ›Danish deep tech start-up Skypuzzler announced the close of a seed funding round led by Rethink Ventures with co-investment from the EIC Fund.
- ›The investment will support deployment of Skypuzzler’s Integrated Digital Air Traffic Control solution for drones, branded iDATC.
- ›Skypuzzler is an EIC Accelerator beneficiary and also receives an EIC grant plus Business Acceleration Services and strategic guidance.
- ›The company works with established industry partners including DSV and Thales, but the announced seed amount was not disclosed.
- ›The move aligns with EU Drone Strategy 2.0 and the U-space Regulation, though regulatory harmonisation and operational validation remain significant hurdles.
Seed investment positions Skypuzzler to push digital air traffic control for drones
Skypuzzler, a Copenhagen area deep tech company founded in January 2022 by a team of air traffic controllers and computer scientists, has closed a seed financing round with Munich-based specialist fund Rethink Ventures and the European Innovation Council Fund. The company says the capital will accelerate deployment of its Integrated Digital Air Traffic Control system aimed at enabling safe, scalable drone operations in complex low‑altitude airspace.
What the investment covers and what remains unclear
The public communications name the investors and the intended use of proceeds but do not disclose the monetary size of the seed round. The announcement highlights the funds will support deployment activities for the company’s digital air traffic control tools for drones and scale work already supported by an EIC Accelerator grant. Beyond that, details on timelines, milestones, valuation or precise tranches were not provided.
The technology in brief
Skypuzzler describes its product as an Integrated Digital Air Traffic Control solution or iDATC. The company positions this system as the missing technology layer for drone flight safety that enables multiple drones to operate without collisions and at scale. Public descriptions emphasise software that coordinates trajectories and prevents conflicts to unlock commercial drone services across logistics, ports, offshore and other sectors.
Regulatory context and alignment with EU policy
Skypuzzler frames its work as aligned with the EU Drone Strategy 2.0 and the U-space Regulation, which set the legal and operational framework for integrating drones into low‑level airspace across Europe. Those EU instruments aim to enable digital, safe and environmentally sustainable drone operations but require phased implementation at national level and technical standardisation to work effectively.
Investors, partners and strategic positioning
Rethink Ventures is an early‑stage fund focused on mobility, logistics and vehicle technologies. The EIC Fund is the equity arm of the European Innovation Council, financed by the European Commission and advised by the EIB, with a reported capitalisation in the billions and a portfolio spanning advanced manufacturing, mobility and space among other sectors. The EIC Fund and Rethink bring different value propositions: private sector routes to customers on the one hand and a public mission and follow‑on co‑investment capacity on the other.
The EIC communiqué included two public quotes. Skypuzzler CEO Jesper Skou said the investors “share our vision of unlocking Europe’s full drone potential” and framed the funding as enabling the company to “solve the scalability problem by delivering the missing piece of technology in drone flight safety” while advancing a green transition. Svetoslava Georgieva, Chair of the EIC Fund Board, characterised the investment as an endorsement of Skypuzzler’s technology and a milestone in its growth journey.
| Instrument or actor | Role or range | Notes from announcement |
| EIC Accelerator grant | Up to €2.5 million | Skypuzzler is an EIC Accelerator beneficiary and receives a grant plus access to Business Acceleration Services |
| EIC Fund investment | Typical range €0.5–€10 million | EIC Fund joined the seed round but exact EIC contribution was not disclosed |
| Rethink Ventures | Early stage investor (Seed to Series A) | Lead investor for the round. Fund focuses on mobility and logistics innovators |
| Skypuzzler seed round | Amount undisclosed | Announced in Aug 2025; press release dated 21 August 2025 |
Why this matters and what to watch
There is clear policy momentum in Europe behind drone integration and U-space. Public backing from the EIC Fund can help startups attract follow‑on capital and corporate customers. However, the commercialisation of digital air traffic control for drones is not just a software problem. It involves certification, liability frameworks, robust operational validation and cross‑border interoperability. Those steps can take years and depend on national aviation authorities, air navigation service providers and large customers committing to pilots and procurements.
A cautious conclusion
The deal signals investor confidence in a company operating at the intersection of mobility, logistics and aerospace. EIC involvement gives Skypuzzler privileged access to EU networks and services, which can accelerate pilot introductions. At the same time, operationalising digital air traffic control at scale is technically demanding and highly regulated. The market opportunity is real but filled with established competitors and institutional barriers. The next 12 to 24 months should reveal whether Skypuzzler converts funding and partnerships into certified, revenue generating deployments.
For further information consult Skypuzzler’s website and the Horizon Europe project database. The EIC success story is based on a Skypuzzler press release published on 21 August 2025.