ADLC, a pioneering drone logistics company, has successfully raised €2.08 million in seed funding to accelerate its growth and further expand its services in the maritime and offshore industry.

The investment round was led by Galactic Beacon Ventures (GBV), alongside co-lead investor LRM, Port of Antwerp-Bruges and NXT II, with the support of PwC – Next Level as financial/fundraising advisors and Van Olmen & Wynant as legal advisors. This funding marks a significant milestone in ADLC’s mission to revolutionise last-mile delivery in maritime and offshore environments, leveraging the latest advancements in drone technology.

With participation from investors across the maritime, logistics, and drone industries, this funding will support ADLC’s international expansion, delivering drone logistics services in key ports and offshore energy sites worldwide. ADLC’s innovative approach integrates drone technology with comprehensive service solutions, making it easier for companies to adopt drone-based logistics without the complexities of managing an in-house operation.

Accelerating Innovation in Industrial Drone Logistics

The company’s early success is highlighted by its ongoing drone delivery services at the Port of Antwerp, where it is collaborating with global testing and certification leader SGS and serving key clients like BASF. ADLC’s drones have significantly reduced transport times and environmental impact, providing a 6-fold increase in efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions by up to 80% for petrochemical sample deliveries.

“We believe the time is right for drone logistics to transform the maritime and offshore industry. Recent advancements in drone technology, combined with new regulatory frameworks, have created a favourable environment for widespread adoption of drone delivery. Their work in the Port of Antwerp is a perfect example of how drones can deliver real value to industrial operations. We see tremendous potential for ADLC to scale globally, and we look forward to supporting their continued growth. This investment reflects our broader mission to drive innovation in maritime, energy, and logistics.” said Kyriakos Vlachos, Chief Investment Officer at Galactic Beacon Ventures.

Strategic Investors Powering Expansion

“With ADLC, Belgium has a promising start-up with impressive innovative strength. The company is already taking a leading position by enhancing the transport performance of (hazardous) goods in industrial, complex environments with very high safety standards—places that often suffer from significant operational inefficiencies. We are confident in their further development and convinced that, thanks to this funding round, they are well-positioned to scale internationally,” says Tom Aerts, Head of Investments at the Limburg investment company LRM.

“Moreover, we are delighted to welcome ADLC as a new resident on our DronePort business campus in Sint-Truiden, the innovation hub for autonomous mobility on the ground and in the air. With its strategic location in the heart of Europe and state-of-the-art testing facilities with dedicated airspace, this is the perfect location for ADLC to conquer the world,” explains Stijn Claes, investment manager at LRM

“Since 2018, Port of Antwerp-Bruges has been working on an ambitious roadmap to enable drone flights across the vast port area, in support of multiple use case. This has resulted in a vibrant ecosystem with over 1500 authorized drone flights in 2024, the majority being Beyond visual line of sight flights (BVLOS), an indication of maturity. ADLC has opened a new chapter with a first use case for cargo, a vast area of opportunities. Given the strategic nature of this evolution for the port ecosystem at large, Port of Antwerp-Bruges has committed itself to support the further development via a strategic investment,”says Erwin Verstraelen, Vice President Innovation at Port of Antwerp-Bruges.

“The NXT II investment fund for start and scale-ups is formed by entrepreneurs and C-level people.  We believe strongly in the power of young entrepreneurship. NXT II invests more than only capital. We share our knowledge on different levels. ADLC impressed us with their deep market knowledge and innovative approach to drone logistics. We believe in their technology and vision. We are confident ADLC has a unique potential for growth in an important sector. The cooperation with ADLC is a perfect example of how NXT II wants to support companies with capital, network and knowledge. By sharing our expertise, we aim to support ADLC’s growth and help them build a strong and sustainable business,” says Gerd Van Poucke, Dealmaker at NXT II.

Building a Sustainable Future

ADLC’s long-term vision is to revolutionise industrial transportation by making drone logistics the new standard for express delivery in industrial environments.

“Our goal is to make industrial drone logistics as reliable and commonplace as traditional forms of transportation,” said Rayan Quintaes, ADLC’s Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer. “We are excited to partner with forward-thinking investors like GBV, LRM, Port of Antwerp-Bruges, and NXT II who share our vision for a more efficient, sustainable future.”