Construct Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm that invests in startups applying technology to sectors like manufacturing, transportation, and defense, has closed its third fund with $300 million in capital commitments. The Washington D.C.-based firm previously raised a $225 million second fund and a $75 million capital pool for later-stage companies in 2022. While many…
Category: defense tech
Bedrock, defense tech, flock safety, Global IT News, Global Security News, Startups, surveillance technologies, Venture, Y Combinator
Y Combinator’s police surveillance darling Flock Safety raises $275M at $7.5B valuation
Flock Safety and one of its long-time VCs, Bedrock Capital, announced Thursday that the startup raised a fresh $275 million at a $7.5 billion valuation. Flock makes computer vision-enabled video surveillance technology used by law enforcement as well as businesses, property management companies, and so on. It’s best known for its automatic license plate recognition…
coinvest capital, defense tech, Europe, Global Security News, Lithuania, Venture
In defense tech, Lithuania’s sovereign VC fund is one step ahead
Europe is waking up to the need to invest in defense, and so are European VCs. But with a painful history of Soviet occupations, Lithuania didn’t wait for the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to reach its third anniversary to commit 5% to 6% of its GDP to military spending — and fund…
defense tech, Global IT News, Global Security News, In Brief, shield ai, Startups
Shield AI raises $240M at a $5.3B valuation to commercialize its AI drone tech
Shield AI is now one of the U.S.’s biggest defense tech startups by valuation, raising $240 million at a $5.3 billion valuation in its latest round. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
defense tech, drones, Exclusive, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Startups
Alpine Eagle secures funding from European backers for counter-drone tech amid rising threats
The war in Ukraine has brought drones to the forefront of modern warfare, creating a surge in demand for counter-drone systems. However, legacy solutions to counter drones, such as ground-based defense systems and cyber warfare, often come with a hefty price tag. For German startup Alpine Eagle, these solutions fall short: When now-ubiquitous $500 first-person…
defense tech, Epirus, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Joe Lonsdale, Startups
Defense tech startup Epirus raises $250M Series D to counter drone swarms
Defense tech startup Epirus has raised a $250m Series D to expand its counter-drone solutions. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
defense tech, Elad Gil, Global IT News, Global Security News, saronic, Startups
Saronic raises $600M to mass produce autonomous warships
Austin-based defense startup Saronic has raised a $600 million Series C to build an autonomous ship factory called “Port Alpha,” it announced. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
defense tech, Europe, Global Security News, Government & Policy, nato
NATO backs its first cohort of European dual-use startups
With both Vice President J.D. Vance and U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth making loud noises Friday about Europe stepping up to the plate in spending more on its own defense, it might come as a surprise that Europe is already on the path toward far greater investment in defense, especially in tech. Not only has…
defense tech, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, helsing, Startups
Germany’s Helsing doubles down on drones for Ukraine, scales up manufacturing
Helsing, the German defense tech startup backed by Spotify’s Daniel Ek and others, is producing 6,000 HX-2 strike drones in addition to the 4,000 HF-1 strike drones financed by Germany that are currently being delivered to Ukraine. “We are scaling up production of HX-2 in response to additional orders from Ukraine,” Helsing co-founder Gundbert Scherf…
8VC, defense tech, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Joe Lonsdale, Venture
Joe Lonsdale’s 8VC seeking $1B for new fund
8VC, a venture firm led by Palantir founder Joe Lonsdale, is seeking nearly $1 billion for its sixth fund, according to a regulatory filing. The Austin-based firm’s latest fund aims to raise nearly 14% more than its previous $880 million flagship vehicle, which closed in February 2023. TechCrunch has reached out to the firm for…
AI, ai safety, Anthropic, defense tech, Global Security News, Government & Policy, military, North America, openai, pentagon, TC
The Pentagon says AI is speeding up its ‘kill chain’
Leading AI developers, such as OpenAI and Anthropic, are threading a delicate needle to sell software to the United States military: make the Pentagon more efficient, without letting their AI kill people. Today, their tools are not being used as weapons, but AI is giving the Department of Defense a “significant advantage” in identifying, tracking,…
8VC, anduril, defense tech, Global IT News, Global Security News, Joe Lonsdale, shield ai, Venture
Defense startup Epirus in talks to raise over $150M, potentially cutting valuation
The round could give the company a valuation of about $1 billion, a decrease from the company’s previous $1.35 billion valuation. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
climate tech, defense tech, Global IT News, Global Security News, LLMs, space technology, Startups, TC
The 51 most disruptive startups of 2024
These startups have fascinating new technologies, business models, founder stories or are pushing an industry forward in exciting ways. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.