military-technology
(4)
Perseus Defense
Perseus Defense is a YC S25 aerospace and defense startup building low-cost, man-portable guided micro-missiles to shoot down small drones. Its Harpe interceptor targets Group 1 and Group 2 drones at a claimed cost of under $10,000 per shot - roughly a 20x reduction versus existing systems - closing the cost gap where a $500 drone can threaten multi-million-dollar assets. Founded by ex-NASA aerospace engineer Jason Cornelius and ex-Boeing autonomy lead Steve Messinger, the company is building an affordable, mass-producible 'Iron Dome for drones' for U.S. defense and homeland security customers.
Distributed Spectrum
Distributed Spectrum builds AI-powered radio-frequency sensors and software that automatically detect, classify, and locate signals - drones, jammers, tactical radios, GPS spoofers - in real time. Founded by three Harvard engineers, the company packs commercial hardware and edge AI into sub-one-pound sensors that give soldiers and analysts persistent spectrum awareness without specialist RF expertise. It raised a $25M Series A in March 2025 and has fielded systems with US military branches and partners in Ukraine.
Aurelius Systems
Aurelius Systems is a San Francisco defense-technology startup building Archimedes, an autonomous, high-powered laser turret that detects, tracks and neutralizes drones in seconds for roughly the cost of electricity. Founded in 2024 by photonics veterans Michael LaFramboise and John Marmaduke, the company fuses commercial off-the-shelf hardware, advanced optics and AI-guided targeting into a compact, low-cost counter-UAS platform aimed at protecting soldiers and critical infrastructure from cheap, swarming aerial threats.
CX2
CX2 (CX2 Industries) is an El Segundo, California defense-technology startup building AI-enabled hardware and software for the electromagnetic spectrum. Its systems detect, classify, geolocate, and disrupt hostile RF emitters in jammed and GPS-denied environments, aiming to give allied forces an edge in electronic warfare at a fraction of the cost of legacy systems. Founded in 2024 by a team including Nathan Mintz, Porter Smith, Lee Thompson, and Mark Trefgarne, CX2 has raised about $46M, led by a $31M Series A from Point72 Ventures, and launched its Wraith airborne EW platform in December 2025.