March 8, 2024 at 09:57AM
Defense Unicorns, a software startup, secured $35 million in Series A funding from Sapphire Ventures and Ansa Capital, bringing their total funds to $35.5 million. The Colorado-based company offers open source software and AI capabilities for national security systems, with recent deployment in classified environments to support US military operations. The funding aims to expand their mission-focused capabilities.
Key takeaways from the meeting notes on Defense Unicorns:
– Defense Unicorns raised $35 million in Series A funding led by Sapphire Ventures and Ansa Capital, totaling $35.5 million raised.
– The Colorado Springs-based firm provides open source software and AI capabilities for continuous delivery in national security systems, deployable in various environments.
– Defense Unicorns’ solutions work in cloud, on-premises, and edge situations, supporting modern technologies in various mission scenarios, including space and undersea.
– The company’s portfolio includes Zarf, LeapfrogAI, Pepr, and Lula, all catering to software delivery, generative AI, Kubernetes resource management, and real-time monitoring of software configuration and compliance.
– Their AI for national security capability has been deployed in classified environments to support US military operations worldwide.
– They received a $300 million Department of Defense contract and have been involved in multiple Air Force and Navy programs.
– Defense Unicorns plans to use the new investment to expand its mission-focused capabilities and aims to grow its employee base from 125.
Additionally, CEO and co-founder Rob Slaughter highlighted the need for rapidly deploying new technology in the U.S. military and the unique challenges they aim to solve with their software.