ICEYE Germany will manufacture satellite components, develop advanced software and establish an AI centre and intelligence group. The new entity extends ICEYE’s presence in Germany, which the company described as one of Europe’s most important defence and industrial heartlands.
The establishment of ICEYE Germany also deepens the company’s partnership with Rheinmetall. That partnership is being carried out through Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions, a joint venture focused on advancing sovereign space capability across Europe.
“ICEYE is a European success story, founded by a Pole and a Finn who met through the Erasmus exchange programme and backed by EU horizon research funding – a European foundation that continues to shape our growth today. The establishment of ICEYE Germany strengthens a partnership that is already delivering and marks the next step in our long-term commitment to Germany,” said Rafał Modrzewski, Co-founder & CEO of ICEYE.
“Germany is central to Europe’s sovereign defence & space ambitions and to ICEYE’s identity as a technology company. It has the engineering talent, the industrial partners, and the imperative to become a cornerstone of Europe’s sovereign intelligence capability. That is what we are here to build, delivered through our joint venture with Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions as the integrating platform,” said Philipp Herkelmann, CEO of ICEYE Germany.
Herkelmann has led the establishment of ICEYE Germany since early 2026. His responsibilities include sovereign intelligence programmes, AI and satellite research and development, and the partnership with Rheinmetall ICEYE Space Solutions.
He has a background spanning Google, EU Inc and Entrepreneur First. ICEYE said that experience included backing and building deep technology companies across Europe.
ICEYE designs, builds and operates what it describes as the world’s largest and most advanced synthetic aperture radar satellite constellation. The company said the constellation delivers continuous intelligence to governments and customers worldwide, in any weather, day or night.
Seven governments across Europe have procured sovereign satellite systems from ICEYE to date. ICEYE said this makes it the leading European provider of space-based intelligence.
