Systematic doubles last year’s record profit: Defence software and AI driving growth

European armed forces are investing massively in digital solutions that enable collaboration across armed services and borders – without compromising data sovereignty.  

Danish software company Systematic is benefiting from this trend in its 40th anniversary year with its most impressive financial statements ever: Revenue of EUR 299.6 million and a profit (EBIT) of EUR 107.6 million, which is more than double that in the previous financial year. 

When a Danish frigate needs to coordinate with a German fighter aircraft and British soldiers on the ground, it calls for something more than just a command system. It requires advanced military software which enables collaboration and data sharing between allies – and this is precisely what is driving Systematic’s record profit. 

“As a global supplier of market-leading command-and-control systems for many years, we’re now seeing a demand for systems that support multi-domain operations – in other words missions where armies, navies, air forces and cyber forces work together, sharing intelligence in real time. Here, AI is playing an increasingly significant role, and we have expanded our defence pack to cover the entire spectrum. And this is now creating real value,” explains Systematic CEO Nikolaj Bramsen.   

The past five years have seen a 73% growth in revenue, from EUR 174 million in 2020/21 to EUR 299.6 million today. 

Moreover, equity has grown to EUR 116.5 million, providing a solid foundation for investments in future products and markets. 

“It has been an extraordinary year with extremely high sales of software licences – fuelled by extensive rearmament in Europe. We’re not expecting sales at the same level next year, but we enjoy a strong position in the market, and the need for digital defence solutions continues to grow,” says Nikolaj Bramsen. 

AI now key to modern defence 

Nikolaj Bramsen underscores the fact that all Systematic’s business areas have contributed significantly to the company’s growth, but that it is still the defence business which generates most revenue. Here, AI has been a decisive factor. 

“AI-driven intelligence and situational overview have become a uniquely important factor in modern defence. It’s not just a question of seeing what is happening right now – but of understanding what is brewing so that you can respond quickly,” says Nikolaj Bramsen. 

Germany is one country in particular that has started turbocharging the digitalisation of its armed forces. The Bundeswehr has invested heavily in Systematic’s SitaWare suite, and equipped both its navy and army with the Danish defence solution so that Germany can now conduct joint operations across its various armed services as well as across domains and with NATO allies.  

Germany was also the first to acquire the latest SitaWare offering: Battlefield Health – a solution that combines two of Systematic’s core areas: health and defence. Battlefield Health is an electronic medical record that handles wounded soldiers’ health and treatment data while supporting the entire evacuation chain from injury site to hospital.  

NATO collaboration opening up new markets  

The interest being shown in Systematic’s defence software extends far beyond Europe. According to CEO Nikolaj Bramsen, the company is seeing growing demand in regions where countries are seeking closer collaboration with NATO while simultaneously investing significant sums in defence technology: 

“We already have offices in Australia, New Zealand and the UAE. We see Asia Pacific and the Middle East as key growth areas – not least because many of the countries there want to strengthen their collaboration with NATO and are demanding technology that supports joint operations,” he says. 

From battle zones to power plants 

Software development within Systematic does not stop at defence. The company is successfully continuing to develop its tried-and-tested military solutions for other areas. To meet the growing need for monitoring and protecting critical infrastructure, Systematic has established a brand-new business unit: National Security & Infrastructure (NSI), which develops solutions for the owners and operators of critical infrastructure such as port terminals, airports, communication networks, data centres and the energy and utility sector.  

The first product from NSI is called Rezilient. The system gathers data from sensors, cameras and drones, and provides private companies and the authorities with a shared overview and warnings of potential threats. Rezilient is based on the same technology as SitaWare. 

“The threats to our critical infrastructure mean that it no longer makes sense to make a sharp distinction between civil and military security. SitaWare is not only used in conflict zones, but also in connection with natural disasters and other critical situations, where the emergency services, authorities and the armed forces need to coordinate and collaborate together. This experience can and should be used to protect society’s critical infrastructure,” believes Nikolaj Bramsen. 

Health and library software enjoying international success 

Systematic’s health business has delivered impressive results in 2004/2025 based on the sale and implementation of hospital solutions in Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands. At the same time, the municipal system Columna Cura as well as the data-sharing solution Axon are both seeing growing demand, while interest in the AI speech-recognition project “Talt” is growing in both Denmark and Norway.  

In Norway, Columna Cura is deemed to hold so much potential that Systematic has established a Norwegian subsidiary. A large number of Norwegian municipalities are facing the prospect of having to replace their citizen record systems, and Systematic aims to win a significant share of the market. 

“We see the same needs in the health sector in every country: Staff need to spend time on care and treatment – not dealing with laborious work procedures and insufficient data. Our products help solve these challenges,” says Nikolaj Bramsen. 

The library platform Cicero, which is implemented throughout Denmark, is also winning market share abroad. Most recently, one of Germany’s largest public libraries, Bücherhallen Hamburg, has implemented the solution, and Nikolaj Bramsen expects more to follow in their footsteps.   

Investing in development and charity 

Systematic remains privately owned, with the founder Michael Holm still the majority shareholder, and the company has no debt.  

In the past year, Systematic has increased its investments in development and new markets while at the same time maintaining its focus on corporate social responsibility. During the year, the company spent EUR 200,000 on medical equipment for Ukraine. At the same time, the company has introduced five days of paid leave a year for employees who participate in the military reserves or the emergency response force. And in connection with celebrating Systematic’s 40th anniversary, the company donated EUR 5,400 to 10 smaller charitable foundations in its home city of Aarhus.  

The company’s success is also reflected in the size of its workforce, which has grown from 1,172 to 1,283 employees in 2024/25. In order to serve its new markets, Systematic is opening offices in both France and Norway.  

With more than 1,200 employees in 15 countries and solutions implemented in more than 40 countries, Systematic is still Denmark’s largest, privately owned IT company.

	2024/2025 EURm	2023/2024 EURm	Change
Revenue	299.6	218.0	37.4%
EBIT	107.6	44.6	141.3%
Profit after tax	86.0	34.2	151.2%
Return on equity	79.4%	33.6%	45.8 percentage points