Ukrainian defence tech startup Swarmer, which specialises in automated solutions for coordinated groups of drones, has announced the successful closure of a $2.7 million seed funding round, the startup told AIN.

  • The round was led by US defence technology company R-G.AI, with active participation from Radius Capital. Green Flag Ventures and D3, which backed Swarmer after its inception in 2023, also participated in the financing.
  • Swarmer says the technology is already being used by combat units in the armed forces. In the future, the development will be scaled up for implementation in the defence strategies of democratic countries around the world.
  • R-G.AI and Swarmer commented that many current drone control systems are still too limited for human capabilities. R-G.AI's investment, which aims to change the current state of the industry, is part of a broader strategic agreement that will create a new category of system solutions, including both software and hardware.
  • It will be the first platform specifically designed to maximise the capabilities of Swarmer products such as Trident OS and STYX AI, each of which has been tested in more than 10,000 missions in simulated environments and on the battlefield.

About Swarmer and the investors

Swarmer was founded in 2023 by Serhiy Kuprienko and Alex Fink. In August this year, it was announced that the startup had raised UAH 2 million and received backing from BRAVE1. The startup aims to revolutionise drone operations with its solutions, such as STYX.AI. In an interview for AIN.UA, Kuprienko  explained how artificial intelligence improves the situation on the battlefield and what the first applications have shown.

Radius Capital is an American investment firm focused on early-stage aerospace technologies, particularly software and AI systems.

Green Flag Ventures is also a US-based venture capital fund focused on investing in Ukrainian start-ups in the areas of cybersecurity, dual-use technologies, AI/ML and fintech. Earlier this month, the fund also invested in another Ukrainian defense tech startup, HIMERA, which develops EW-resistant combat radio systems.

D3 is a venture capital fund that invests in early-stage defence technology startups. It offers investment, advanced mentoring from the world's leading experts in defence technology, cooperation with the Ukrainian Armed Forces and assistance in attracting additional funding.

R-G.AI is a platform that helps industry and governments connect AI technologies.