Startup Support ASTRAOS Receives Funding from Baden-Württemberg's “Prototype Funding” Program
July 14, 2026
Published by hei_INNOVATION
A team from Heidelberg University is developing ASTRAOS, an intelligent security box for small and medium-sized enterprises as well as private households that automatically protects networks from cyberattacks. To implement the prototype, the project is receiving around 500,000 euros from the ERDF Prototype Funding program of Baden-Württemberg.
ASTRAOS is a network detection and response (NDR) solution that makes professional network security accessible to a broader target group. As a ready-to-use "out-of-the-box" solution, it automatically detects attacks using artificial intelligence — without requiring specialized IT security expertise. Zero-touch onboarding and low-maintenance operation enable straightforward deployment. As a "Made in Europe" solution, ASTRAOS also strengthens Europe's digital sovereignty and the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises; thanks to energy-efficient operation, the security box is also designed to be resource-conserving.
The idea for ASTRAOS emerged from a discussion about how IT security could be made simpler, more effective, and more accessible for companies. This gave rise to the concept of an intelligent security box for automated attack detection, laying the foundation for the "Security Out-of-the-Box" approach. Work is currently underway to finalize the core component, while in parallel the models for attack detection are being trained.
Stefan Machmeier and Maximilian Ludwig, Information Security Specialists and doctoral candidates, head the project team. They are supported in a leadership role by Vincent Heuveline, who contributes his expertise in IT security as a professor and CIO of Heidelberg University.
The startup advisory team at hei_INNOVATION supported ASTRAOS in preparing and submitting the funding application. “Working with hei_INNOVATION was a decisive factor in our project's success. From the initial idea through to implementation, the hei_INNOVATION team was there for us every step of the way with expert guidance. We sincerely thank them for their outstanding support — with hei_INNOVATION, success is within reach,” said the ASTRAOS team.
The project launched on April 30, 2026, and runs for 24 months; the funding amount totals around 500,000 euros.
Prototype Funding is a program of the State of Baden-Württemberg under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). It supports startup ventures in developing market-ready prototypes, helping bring scientific innovations into practical application more quickly.