US-based General Atomics invests in 2 Dutch tech startups: Know more

US-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) has announced its investment in two Dutch businesses following its Blue Magic Netherlands (BMN) event held last November. 

The selected companies are Delft-based Emergent Swarm Solutions and ‘s-Hertogenbosch’s Saluqi Motors.

Brad Lunn, MD for GA-ASI, says, “The technologies presented by Emergent and Saluqi really stood out to us, and we’re proud to be working with them. I expect several other companies from the Blue Magic Netherlands event to emerge, and we hope to make additional announcements in the near future.”

At the Blue Magic investment and innovation conference in the Netherlands, GA-ASI and its partners heard pitches from Dutch companies on the technologies they are developing.

The event also included various Dutch government and industry partners, fostering collaboration to enhance national security and resilience. Organisers include GA-ASI, the Dutch Ministry of Defence, the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs, Brainport Development in Eindhoven, and Brabant Development Agency (BOM). Focus areas: AI/ML, Autonomy, Materials, Sensors, Manufacturing, and Space.

Nearly 50 companies applied, and 16 were chosen to present. Following the event and further discussions, GA-ASI selected Emergent Swarm Solutions and Saluqi Motors for investment.

Emergent: Delivering autonomous systems for complex operations

Founded in 2023 by Lennart Bult and Seppe Van den Bergh, Emergent Swarm Solutions develops software for autonomous flight and decentralised swarming for unmanned vehicles. 

The company’s technology supports operations in environments without GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) or communications and is used in defence, disaster response, and law enforcement. Emergent’s systems are designed to support intelligence gathering and mission execution in complex conditions. 

GA-ASI is working with Emergent to advance autonomy capabilities for its aircraft programmes.

Co-founder Lennart Bult says, “It is a pleasure to partner with General Atomics to develop and deploy our autonomy and swarming capabilities on the current and next generation of unmanned aircraft.”

“Collaborating with the General Atomics team has been a fantastic experience, and we look forward to delivering advanced capabilities through this partnership.”

Saluqi Motors: Building motors with integrated power electronics

Founded in 2016 by Maarten Klomp, Saluqi Motors was founded in response to the growing demand for improved electric motors and power electronics as battery technology advanced in terms of power density and cost. 

The company develops motors with integrated power electronics, using magnetic materials, power semiconductors, and cooling technologies. These components are widely used in consumer and industrial applications such as power supply units, welding machines, and solar inverters. 

The competitive markets lead to frequent updates with improved components. Saluqi Motors has addressed issues in existing designs by optimising parallelisation, increasing power output and efficiency, while enhancing reliability.

GA-ASI is collaborating with Saluqi to qualify their products for aerospace requirements and develop new solutions for specific needs.

Matthijs de Haan, CEO at Saluqi Motors, says, “We are deeply honoured to be selected by GA-ASI from such a strong field of innovative companies. Our ultra-compact and high-performance motors are engineered to meet the demanding requirements of aerospace applications.”

“This collaboration enables us to further validate our technology and develop new solutions for the defence and aerospace industries.”

Brief about GA-ASI

GA-ASI is a company in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and mission systems. It provides eight MQ-9A aircraft to the Royal Netherlands Air Force. With more than 8 million flight hours, the Predator family of UAS, including the MQ-9A Reaper, MQ-1C Gray Eagle, MQ-20 Avenge, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian, has been operational for over three decades. 

GA-ASI is focused on delivering long-endurance, multi-purpose solutions for surveillance and quick-response strike missions. It hosted its first Blue Magic event in 2019 in Belgium, followed by events in 2020, 2021, and 2023.

“GA-ASI is committed to continue working with the Dutch government and Dutch industry in supporting the growth of technology innovation in the Netherlands. GA-ASI anticipates holding additional BMN events in the near future,” Lunn added.