The investment will help develop software to spot and stop hostile drones under human oversight.

Amsterdam-based Trusk Technology has secured €350,000 from the North Holland Innovation Fund to advance software that enables unmanned systems to detect and neutralise enemy drones. The start-up is building tools to protect airspace and critical infrastructure, using an “operator on the loop” model that keeps humans in control of autonomous operations.

The North Holland Innovation Fund, created by the Province of North Holland in the Netherlands with partners including the University of Amsterdam and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, provides convertible loans to entrepreneurs at the proof‑of‑concept stage. It runs two tracks, one for new technology ventures and another for academic spin-outs. Fund manager Ludolf Stavenga oversees the programme, which aims to bridge early‑stage financing gaps for regional innovators.

Trusk’s approach centres on software that triggers an interceptor drone when a hostile craft is identified. After human confirmation, the interceptor executes a short burst to outpace the target and is guided by Trusk’s system to close in. By automating much of the pursuit while retaining oversight, the company positions its solution as more cost‑effective than current air‑defence systems that require constant manual control. The use of interceptor drones on the battlefield in Ukraine underscores both the urgency and practical demand for such technologies.

Founded in 2024 by Caspar Lusink and Tom Rijntjes, Trusk is led by co‑founder and chief executive Lusink. The company says its work in autonomous defence software is intended to strengthen European security and safeguard critical sites. The new funding will be used to refine the detection, decision-making and guidance capabilities of its system as it moves through early development.