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Shield AI doesn’t fit in your typical ‘defense tech’ box. For one, it was cofounded by a Navy SEAL vet, so there’s no glorification of the traumas conflict can cause to its combatants and civilians. Second, it was founded in 2015 when “gov tech” was a dirty word to most VCs and very few wanted anything to do with our nation’s military needs. And lastly, they long for a world without war - as they often tell their team, investors, and customers, their mission is “Autonomy for the world. The greatest victory requires no war.”
We can speak to these truths because we were fortunate enough to be the largest investor in their seed round and Satya sat on their Board for many years, through critical milestones in the company’s trajectory. And so it’s with pride and admiration that we see them well on their way to becoming one of the most important public sector startups of the 21st century.
There are many more challenges and tremendous work ahead to fulfill that promise, but it’s galvanizing to see financial and strategic investors get behind the Shield vision. Most recently this support has taken the form of a $240 million funding round, at a $5.3 billion valuation. As Bloomberg notes in its coverage of the round,
ShieldAI’s Hivemind software aims to make it easier for more developers and businesses to create autonomous hardware. The company’s tools can also help pilot autonomous vehicles ranging from one-way attack drones to F-16s, and support swarming operations. Shield says its software can allow vehicles to execute complex missions autonomously, including when GPS and communications are jammed.
Onward Shield AI! And if working for a transformative, mission-driven, well-capitalized American company appeals to you, they are definitely hiring.