Bucharest, September 1, 2026 – RBJ – OVES Enterprise, a Romanian technology company specialising in autonomous systems and artificial intelligence-based applications, with experience in drone development and production, and STARK, a German defence technology company developing unmanned systems for the air, land and maritime domains, announce a strategic partnership.
The first stage of the collaboration focuses on integrating OVES Enterprise’s Nemesis AI with STARK’s own AI and unmanned surface vessels (USVs). The integration of OVES’s artificial intelligence technology will further enhance VANTA’s ability to autonomously avoid obstacles, navigate in GNSS-denied environments, interpret data provided by onboard sensors and estimate distances to detected objects.
The partnership is formalised through a recently signed MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) and establishes the framework for a broader collaboration on the development and integration of software solutions and equipment for autonomous defence systems.
“STARK knows how to build and rapidly bring highly complex defence systems to market. There are technological areas where the capabilities we have developed through Nemesis AI can complement and enhance these systems. VANTA is the first STARK product targeted under this collaboration and is important to us because it expands the applicability of Nemesis AI into the maritime domain. We see this as a long-term partnership that can bring OVES Enterprise technology to several categories of autonomous systems and, over time, can lead to jointly developed products”, says Mihai Filip, CEO of OVES Enterprise.
STARK, Among Europe’s Fastest-Growing Defence Companies
Founded in Berlin in 2024, STARK develops unmanned military systems and artificial intelligence-based technologies for air, maritime and land operations. The company’s portfolio includes VIRTUS, a loitering munition system under contract by the German Bundeswehr and other European countries, VANTA, which recently became the first USV introduced into the Cyber and Information Domain Service of the German armed forces, and MINERVA, its AI-driven, command-and-control software for coordinating swarms of autonomous systems in complex, multi-domain operations.
In June 2026, STARK raised €500 million in funding, primarily aimed at expanding its research and development activities and increasing production capacity in Europe. Its backers include Sequoia Capital, Founders Fund and the NATO Innovation Fund.
“Our collaboration with OVES Enterprise brings together complementary technological capabilities in a field where development speed and the ability to adapt systems to real-world operational conditions are essential. Romania represents a highly relevant market for the development of maritime systems. We see this partnership as a foundation for joint projects in Romania and, over time, in other European markets”, says Yves Augustus, Sales Director Europe at STARK.
VANTA and Its Relevance to Black Sea Security
VANTA systems are designed for autonomous maritime missions and can be configured with different types of sensors and equipment depending on the mission. The systems can be used for surveillance and reconnaissance, while military configurations can integrate weapon systems to neutralise threats.
For OVES Enterprise, the collaboration with STARK expands the applicability of Nemesis AI into the maritime domain, following the technology’s integration into other autonomous and defence systems. Nemesis AI is already used in EAGLS counter-drone systems developed by MSI Defense Solutions and deployed by the US military in the Middle East.
The OVES Enterprise–STARK partnership also has a direct component for Romania. The two companies are pursuing opportunities to integrate VANTA systems into Romanian defence programmes, as autonomous maritime systems become increasingly relevant to the surveillance and protection of the Black Sea region.
“The Black Sea is an area where Romania needs autonomous surveillance, detection and response capabilities adapted to a security environment that has fundamentally changed in recent years. Systems such as VANTA, enhanced with Nemesis AI technologies, can address such scenarios and become part of how Romania’s naval defence capabilities will evolve in the future”, adds Mihai Filip.
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OVES Enterprise is a Romanian technology company specialising in autonomous systems and artificial intelligence applications, with experience in drone development and manufacturing. The company was founded in Cluj-Napoca in 2015.
Since 2019, the company has expanded its operations to include complex projects for industries such as automotive, eCommerce, fintech and telecommunications, as well as for international government institutions.
In recent years, OVES Enterprise has developed the Nemesis AI platform, expanded its activities in autonomous systems and drone manufacturing, and is working on Project Sahara, an advanced cruise missile system designed for defence applications.
More than half of the company’s current revenue is generated by international projects integrating artificial intelligence and data analytics technologies. OVES Enterprise has more than 200 employees and offices in Romania, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Norway.
