Defense Drone Venture
SaverOne Plans Major Stake in Gryphen Aircraft to Enter Military UAV Market
Key Points
The investment path includes an intermediate €8.33 million step and a final ability to acquire 53% of Gryphen for a €30 million valuation, exercisable within 24 months after closing (not earlier than 9 months).
Gryphen brings over 30 years of aviation heritage, a 4,000-square-meter production facility, and more than 1,000 aircraft manufactured to date.
SaverOne has previously announced a strategic transaction with VisionWave Holdings (Nasdaq: VWAV), illustrating a broader pivot into defense and security markets.
Gryphen’s program focuses on remotely piloted and optionally piloted systems that can convert civilian aircraft into MALE platforms with high payload capacity, for NATO Class-3 and US MALE programs.
Israeli tech company SaverOne (Nasdaq: SVRE) announced on June 30 a non-binding term sheet to buy a 33.3% stake in Gryphen Aircraft Industries, an Italian defense firm, for €5 million, according to GlobeNewswire. The deal includes an option to increase that stake to 53% at a €30 million valuation within 24 months, marking SaverOne's formal entry into the military drone market.
SVRE stock surged as much as 54% intraday after the announcement, according to Finviz. The move comes just days after SaverOne closed its strategic deal with VisionWave Holdings (Nasdaq: VWAV), signaling a rapid and deliberate pivot away from automotive safety technology toward defense.
SaverOne Bets €5 Million on Italian Drone Maker
Under the term sheet, SaverOne will pay €5 million for a one-third stake in Gryphen. A milestone-based path then lets it spend up to €8.33 million at an intermediate stage, before exercising a final option to reach 53% ownership — priced against a €30 million company valuation — no sooner than 9 months after closing, according to Stock Titan.
SaverOne CEO Ori Gilboa called the deal "highly synergistic" with the company's recent defense expansion. He said Gryphen brings "an existing aviation manufacturing base" and "a practical strategy to convert existing civilian aircraft into military platforms," according to GlobeNewswire.
Gryphen's 30-Year Heritage Becomes a Military Asset
Gryphen Aircraft Industries is the successor to Fly Synthesis, a pioneer in carbon-fiber composite aircraft based in Mortegliano, in northern Italy's Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. The company has a 4,000-square-meter production facility, over 30 years of aviation heritage, and more than 1,000 aircraft manufactured, according to TipRanks.
That legacy now has a new mission. Gryphen is developing the G750-RPAS and G750-SMP — remotely piloted and optionally piloted systems built by converting existing civilian airframes into drone platforms. The goal is NATO Class-3 and US MALE (Medium-Altitude Long-Endurance) program compliance. Gryphen CEO Itai Terner said the deal reflects "a shared vision of delivering innovative, cost-effective unmanned aviation solutions to global defense markets."
VisionWave Deal Paved the Way for This Pivot
SaverOne's defense turn did not start with Gryphen. On January 26, 2026, SaverOne announced a strategic transaction with VisionWave Holdings to become the core platform for VisionWave's Radio Frequency (RF) defense technology. By June 26, all three stages of that deal — valued at roughly $7 million — were complete, according to TipRanks.
VisionWave now holds about 41% of SaverOne as a non-controlling interest. Its RF technology is expected to be integrated into Gryphen's UAV platforms. Together, the two deals are designed to transform SaverOne from a driver-distraction safety sensor firm into what analysts are calling a "multi-domain defense platform," according to GlobeNewswire.
Analysts See Promise but Warn of Real Financial Risk
Not everyone is convinced. TipRanks maintains a "Neutral" rating on SVRE, citing "very weak financial performance" and heavy cash burn. SaverOne holds about $14.14 million in cash against $8.68 million in total liabilities as of mid-2026, leaving limited room for error if Gryphen milestones slip or certification hurdles delay commercialization, according to TipRanks.
The global UAV market is projected to reach $40.6 billion by 2030, giving bulls a large target to point at. But skeptics note the term sheet is non-binding, and converting civilian aircraft into NATO-certified military drones is technically complex and slow. Industry veterans warn that certification alone could delay revenue well beyond the 24-month option window.
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