Company intelligence

Shield AI

Shield AI builds AI-powered autonomy software (Hivemind) and autonomous drones/aircraft for defense and national security applications.

DefenseSan Diego, California, USAFounded 2015Founders: Brandon Tseng, Ryan Tseng, Andrew ReiterWebsite ↗See connections →Compare with OpenAI
Last verified Oct 9, 2026

Key Metrics

Valuation
$12.7B
As of Mar 26, 2026TechCrunch
Rumored$20B+ · Sep 15, 2026 · Dealroom (citing The Information)
Total funding
$400M combined (Navy + company match)
As of Oct 9, 2026The Register

Company Snapshot

Shield AI is a Defense company, based in San Diego, California, USA, founded 2015 by Brandon Tseng, Ryan Tseng, Andrew Reiter. Latest valuation $12.7B (As of Mar 26, 2026, TechCrunch). Total funding $400M combined (Navy + company match) (As of Oct 9, 2026).

Recent changes

  1. Oct 9, 2026Raised $150M The Register
  2. Oct 9, 2026First reported total funding: $400M combined (Navy + company match) The Register
  3. Oct 9, 2026Shield AI's X-BAT Drone Program Hits $400M With New $150M From Navy Pulse story
  4. Sep 15, 2026Reportedly raised an undisclosed amount Series H at a $20B+ valuationRumored Dealroom (citing The Information)
  5. May 1, 2026Raised $591.8M SEC EDGAR Form D
Earlier changes (12)
  1. Mar 26, 2026Raised $1.5B Series G at a $12.7B valuation Bloomberg
  2. Mar 26, 2026New investor: Advent International Bloomberg
  3. Mar 26, 2026New investor: Snowpoint Ventures Bloomberg
  4. Mar 26, 2026New investor: Disruptive Bloomberg
  5. Mar 26, 2026New investor: JPMorganChase Strategic Investment Group Bloomberg
  6. Mar 26, 2026New investor: Riot Ventures Bloomberg
  7. Mar 2026Valuation rose from $5.3B to $12.7B entity-registry reconciliation
  8. Mar 1, 2025Raised $240M Series F-1 at a $5.3B valuation PR Newswire
  9. Mar 1, 2025First reported valuation: $5.3B PR Newswire
  10. Mar 1, 2025New investor: Andreessen Horowitz PR Newswire
  11. Mar 1, 2025New investor: L3Harris PR Newswire
  12. Mar 1, 2025New investor: Hanwha Asset Management PR Newswire

Funding History

5 events · sources dated per row
DateEventAmountValuationInvestorsSource
Oct 9, 2026grant$150M—
The Register
Sep 15, 2026Series HRumored—$20B+
Dealroom (citing The Information)
May 1, 2026funding round$591.8M—
SEC EDGAR Form D
Mar 26, 2026Series G$1.5B$12.7BBloomberg
Mar 1, 2025Series F-1$240M$5.3BPR Newswire
Funding timeline · 3 rounds · $2.3B tracked
$0.0M$840M$1.7B$240MSeries F-1Mar 25$1.5BSeries GMar 26$592MRoundMay 26
Valuation over time
$0M$7.0B$14B2025-032026-03
Underlying values
As ofValueMethodSource
Mar 26, 2026$12.7BReportedTechCrunch
Mar 1, 2025$5.3BDerivedPR Newswire

Investors

Latest Pulse

  1. Anduril In Talks For Employee Sale At $90B ValuationThe Information reports Anduril is discussing an employee share sale valuing the defense-tech company at $90 billion, a separate track from reported talks on a new primary round near $100 billion.→
  2. Shield AI's X-BAT Drone Program Hits $400M With New $150M From NavyThe U.S. Navy added $150 million to Shield AI's X-BAT vertical-takeoff fighter drone program, matched dollar-for-dollar by the company, pushing combined investment in the autonomous jet to $400 million.→
  3. Furientis Raises $25M Seed To Mass-Produce InterceptorsFurientis raised a $25M seed led by Benchmark, its first pure defense investment, to mass-produce low-cost interceptor missiles and close the gap with China's output.→
  4. Tekever Raises $580M For Autonomous Defense DronesEuropean defense-tech startup Tekever raised $580 million in the first close of a Series D round at a $6.4 billion valuation, as Europe ramps up autonomous-systems defense spending.→
  5. Nine US Rounds, $8.7B, Ten Days: September's Real PaceValue Add Pulse totaled the nine largest US venture rounds of September 5-11 and found $8.7 billion committed, with three deals at $1 billion or more.→
  6. Mach Industries Doubles Valuation To $3.7BDefense-tech drone maker Mach Industries raised an additional $600 million, doubling its valuation to $3.7 billion just three months after its original Series C, an eightfold jump in a little over a year.→
  7. Poseidon Aerospace Lands $60M Series APoseidon Aerospace raised a $60 million Series A led by TQ Ventures ahead of the first test flight of its uncrewed cargo aircraft Egret, adding to an $11 million seed round closed last year.→
  8. Defense Tech's Record Year Is Concentrating, Not BroadeningDefense tech has already topped 2025's full-year funding record with four months left in 2026, but deal volume is barely up -- the dollars are concentrating into fewer, larger rounds led by Anduril and Castelion.→
  9. Defense Tech's Two Speeds: Hypersonics and Everyone ElseCastelion's $13 billion valuation and Shield AI's $12.7 billion mark show defense-tech capital concentrating hard in a handful of hardware primes-in-waiting, while smaller Tier 2/3 suppliers are left to roll up instead of raise.→
  10. Defense Tech Funding Hits a Record $35.6B in 2026Defense-tech funding is up 40% year-over-year to $35.6B YTD, with robotics at $18.8B YTD versus $15B for all of 2025 -- both categories on pace for record annual totals.→

Coverage Timeline

newest first
  1. Oct 9, 2026FUNDINGShield AI's X-BAT Drone Program Hits $400M With New $150M From Navy$400M Combined Commitment→
  2. Sep 7, 2026FUNDINGDefense Tech's Two Speeds: Hypersonics and Everyone Else$13B and $12.7B valuations→
  3. Jul 13, 2026FUNDINGDefense Tech's $14.6B Pace Shows No Sign of Slowing$14.6B H1 2026→
  4. Jul 7, 2026FUNDINGDefense Tech's Funding Smashes Records Again in 2026$14.6B+ into defense tech in 2026→

All Coverage

FUNDING

Shield AI's X-BAT Drone Program Hits $400M With New $150M From Navy

Illustration for: Shield AI's X-BAT Drone Program Hits $400M With New $150M From Navy
FUNDING$400M Combined Commitment

Shield AI's X-BAT Drone Program Hits $400M With New $150M From Navy

The U.S. Navy added $150 million to Shield AI's X-BAT vertical-takeoff fighter drone program, matched dollar-for-dollar by the company, pushing combined investment in the autonomous jet to $400 million.

DEEP DIVE
FUNDING

Defense Tech's Two Speeds: Hypersonics and Everyone Else

Illustration for: Defense Tech's Two Speeds: Hypersonics and Everyone Else
FUNDING$13B and $12.7B valuations

Defense Tech's Two Speeds: Hypersonics and Everyone Else

Castelion's $13 billion valuation and Shield AI's $12.7 billion mark show defense-tech capital concentrating hard in a handful of hardware primes-in-waiting, while smaller Tier 2/3 suppliers are left to roll up instead of raise.

DEEP DIVE
FUNDING

Defense Tech's $14.6B Pace Shows No Sign of Slowing

Illustration for: Defense Tech's $14.6B Pace Shows No Sign of Slowing
FUNDING$14.6B H1 2026

Defense Tech's $14.6B Pace Shows No Sign of Slowing

Defense tech startups raised $14.6 billion in the first five months of 2026 alone, already blowing past the previous full-year record of $9.6 billion set in 2025, led by Anduril, Shield AI and Saronic.

FUNDING

Defense Tech's Funding Smashes Records Again in 2026

Illustration for: Defense Tech's Funding Smashes Records Again in 2026
FUNDING$14.6B+ into defense tech in 2026

Defense Tech's Funding Smashes Records Again in 2026

Defense tech startups have already pulled in more than $14.6 billion in venture funding in 2026, surpassing all of 2025's record $9.6 billion, led by Anduril, Shield AI and Saronic megarounds.

Value Add Research

Related Companies

More on Shield AIVerified figures in Data Truth →Defense Tech Tracker →

Shield AI FAQ

What is Shield AI's valuation?

Shield AI's valuation is $12.7B (As of Mar 26, 2026, TechCrunch).

How much has Shield AI raised?

Shield AI has raised $400M combined (Navy + company match) in total funding (As of Oct 9, 2026, The Register).

Who are Shield AI's investors?

Shield AI's investors include Advent International, L3Harris, Andreessen Horowitz, Disruptive, Hanwha Asset Management, and 8 more (As of Oct 9, 2026).

Sources & methodologyshow
Where these figures come from

Figures are labelled Reported (a source states it), Estimated, Derived (computed from other facts) or Rumored (in talks / unconfirmed). Rumors never replace a confirmed figure. Each figure keeps its own as-of date; history is preserved rather than overwritten.

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