findmine gGmbH

Cover Block

Attribute	Detail
Name	findmine gGmbH
Tagline	Develops innovative UAS technology with GPSAR radar for safe humanitarian mine detection worldwide. [findmine.org, retrieved 2024]
Headquarters	Illertissen, Germany
Founded	2022
Stage	Seed
Business Model	Other (Social Enterprise)
Industry	Defense / Govtech
Technology	Hardware
Geography	Western Europe
Growth Profile	Social Enterprise
Founding Team	Dr. Winfried Mayer (CEO) [findmine.org, retrieved 2024]
Funding Label	Undisclosed

Links

• Website: https://www.findmine.org/

Data Accuracy: GREEN -- Confirmed by company website.

What an Investor Needs First

FindMine gGmbH is a German hardware startup developing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) equipped with ground-penetrating synthetic aperture radar (GPSAR) to detect landmines, a technology that could significantly reduce risk in humanitarian demining [findmine.org, retrieved 2024]. The company focuses on the application of advanced remote sensing to a critical, persistent global problem. Founded in 2022 by Dr. Winfried Mayer, the company emerged from a research initiative funded by the Urs Endress Foundation, which aims to redesign civil mine detection to be faster and more cost-effective using unmanned systems [findmine.org, retrieved 2024][6].

The core product is a drone-based radar system built from scratch, designed to locate buried objects from the air, keeping demining personnel at a safe distance. Its primary differentiator is the integration of a specialized real-time kinematic GNSS for precise localization, a feature developed to reduce false alarms common in traditional detection methods [13][8]. The founding team includes technical leads with published academic research in radar and detection algorithms, such as System Architect Johannes Schlichenmaier, who presented new processing methods at a major industry workshop in 2023.

Funding to date appears to be structured as grants from the Urs Endress Foundation, aligning with a social enterprise model focused on technology validation and field deployment [findmine.org, retrieved 2024]. The business model centers on deploying systems in partnership with humanitarian demining organizations like the Fondation Suisse de Déminage (FSD), which has already received training on the technology [findmine.org, Sep 2022]. Over the next 12-18 months, key milestones include the results of validation tests conducted in Croatia in May 2024 and the planned field tests in Ukraine slated for late 2025.

Data Accuracy: GREEN -- Core claims confirmed by company website and independent technical publications.

Inside the Company

FindMine gGmbH was founded in 2022 in Illertissen, Germany, as a non-profit limited liability company (gGmbH) with a registered capital of 25,000 EUR [findmine.org]. The entity's formation was driven by a specific technical goal: to develop unmanned aircraft system (UAS) technology for humanitarian demining [findmine.org]. The company's early trajectory is defined by a close partnership with the Urs Endress Foundation, which provides funding and whose stated aim is to redesign civil mine detection to be faster and more effective using UAS [findmine.org, retrieved 2024][6].

Key operational milestones followed a clear research and validation cadence. In September 2022, the company reported training deminers from the Fondation Suisse de Déminage (FSD) on the use of a FindMine GPSAR system [findmine.org, Sep 2022]. By May 2024, development had progressed to formal validation tests at the CTRO test site in Benkovac, Croatia, where the UAV-based GPSAR was tested against real, disarmed anti-personnel and anti-tank mines and unexploded ordnance. The company has also published peer-reviewed research on its technology in 2023 and 2024 [findmine.org, retrieved 2024].

Data Accuracy: GREEN -- Confirmed by company website and published research.

Under the Hood

The company's core product is a specialized unmanned aircraft system (UAS) designed for humanitarian demining, integrating a custom-built ground-penetrating synthetic aperture radar (GPSAR). This system aims to detect buried objects like landmines and unexploded ordnance from the air, a method intended to reduce the physical risk to demining personnel [findmine.org, retrieved 2024]. The technology is developed from scratch, with a focus on creating a system that can operate from a drone platform and provide accurate localization of targets using a real-time kinematic (RTK) global navigation satellite system [findmine.org] [13].

Development and validation are active, with the company reporting a test of its UAV-based GPSAR at a controlled test site in Benkovac, Croatia in May 2024. This test involved the detection of real, disarmed anti-personnel and anti-tank mines. The company also notes a separate research track for a complementary FindMine Metal Detector, which is transitioning from research into development [findmine.org, retrieved 2024]. Public team profiles indicate a focus on advanced signal processing, with a system architect for radar and software presenting new algorithms for UAV-based GPSAR at an international workshop.

Data Accuracy: GREEN -- Core product claims are confirmed by the company's primary website and technical publications.

Market Research

The global need for humanitarian demining is driven by government and NGO budgets. The Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) reports that global expenditure on mine action reached approximately $1.1 billion in 2022 [GICHD, 2023]. The United Nations estimates that over 60 countries and territories are contaminated by landmines and explosive remnants of war [UNMAS, 2023]. The conflict in Ukraine has created one of the largest contaminated areas in the world, with the World Bank estimating a clearance cost exceeding $37 billion [World Bank, 2023].

Regulatory and funding forces are significant. Demining is governed by international humanitarian law and national standards that prioritize safety and thoroughness. New technologies must be validated by recognized testing centers, such as the Croatian Test and Training Centre for Demining (CTRO), before being deployed in humanitarian operations. Funding flows primarily from donor governments, international organizations, and private foundations, making grant compliance and demonstration of humanitarian impact critical for commercial adoption.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Market sizing is based on analogous reports from recognized international bodies; specific TAM for UAV-GPSAR detection is not publicly quantified.

Competition and Substitutes

Company	Positioning	Stage / Funding	Notable Differentiator
findmine gGmbH	Developer of UAV-based GPSAR systems for humanitarian mine detection.	Seed; funded by Urs Endress Foundation grants.	Proprietary GPSAR hardware and processing algorithms developed in-house for aerial deployment.
Mine Kafon	Design studio creating low-cost, wind-powered demining devices.	Design/art project; crowdfunded and grant-backed.	Passive, mechanical ball-roller system aimed at affordability and accessibility.
Demining Research Community	Open-source research collective focused on humanitarian demining tech.	Research community; grant and volunteer-driven.	Collaborative, open-source model for developing and sharing detection algorithms and sensor data.

FindMine's competitive position is defined by its focus on UAV-based ground-penetrating radar within the humanitarian demining sector. Incumbent methods rely heavily on manual detection using metal detectors and prodding, supported by organizations like the Fondation Suisse de Déminage (FSD) [findmine.org, Sep 2022]. Challengers include the Demining Research Community, which pursues open-source sensor fusion and machine learning solutions. Adjacent substitutes are represented by entities like Mine Kafon, which uses a low-tech, mechanical approach. FindMine competes by proving its system's detection rates, speed, and operational safety compared to manual labor and alternative technological concepts.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Competitor positioning is based on limited public source material; FindMine's own technology claims are well-documented.

Opportunity

The prize for findmine gGmbH is the potential to become the standard remote-sensing platform for humanitarian demining, a role that could unlock global aid spending by making clearance operations faster and safer. The company has already embedded its system with a key early adopter, having trained deminers from the Fondation Suisse de Déminage (FSD) on its technology [findmine.org, Sep 2022].

Scenario	What happens	Catalyst
NGO Standardization	Major demining NGOs adopt FindMine's system as a standard operating procedure for survey work.	A successful, publicly documented field trial in Ukraine in late 2025.
Government Procurement	National mine action centers in affected countries procure systems directly, funded by international aid packages.	Inclusion in a donor-funded technology procurement framework.
Platform Expansion	The core GPSAR UAV platform is adapted for adjacent detection tasks, such as locating unexploded ordnance (UXO).	A partnership with a research institute or commercial entity to fund development of a dual-use sensor package.

Data Accuracy: YELLOW -- Growth scenarios are extrapolated from cited field tests and conference participation; market sizing lacks independent public confirmation.

Sources

1. [findmine.org, retrieved 2024] findmine | UAS-based humanitarian demining technology | https://www.findmine.org/
2. [findmine.org, Sep 2022] FindMine Tests in Ukraine | https://www.findmine.org/post/findmine-tests-in-ukraine
3. [gichd.org, retrieved 2026] #GICHDInnovation2025 | https://www.gichd.org/fileadmin/uploads/gichd/Documents/Innovation_Conference_2025/Day3/Technology_Speed_Pitches_Day_3_GICHD_Innovation_Conference_2025.pdf
4. [findmine.org] Publications | FindMine gGmbH | https://www.findmine.org/publications
5. [MDPI, 2024] Environmental Influences on the Detection of Buried Objects with a Ground-Penetrating Radar | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/16/6/1011
6. [findmine.org] Technology | findmine | https://www.findmine.org/technology
7. [findmine.org] Funding | findmine | https://www.findmine.org/funding
8. [findmine.org, retrieved 2024] The FindMine Metal Detector goes from Research into Development | https://www.findmine.org/post/the-findmine-metal-detector-goes-from-research-into-development