Aidan Daly
DEFCON AI, a defense startup building a next-gen modeling, simulation and analysis toolset for the modern military environment, announced raising $44 million in fresh funds from its seed round.
Bessemer Venture Partners was the lead funder, with participation by Fifth Growth Fund and Red Cell Partners, among others, DEFCON AI said Tuesday.
Yisroel Brumer, co-founder and CEO of DEFCON AI, said, “At DEFCON AI, we are developing powerful solutions to reshape response planning in contested and disrupted environments. We bring to the DoD our capacity to very quickly field transformational software innovation so that defense leaders and planners have the tools they need to effectively coordinate operations and plan around disruptions.”
Christopher Wan of Bessemer will join DEFCON AI’s board of directors as part of the financing arrangement. Ray Johnson, former Lockheed Martin chief technology officer and operating partner at Bessemer, will sit as an independent board member.
DEFCON AI will use the funds to grow its team, enhance its R&D program for expansion purposes and extend its core capabilities across several defense missions and in the commercial sector.
According to Mark Esper, chairman of Red Cell’s national security practice and former secretary of defense, this funding round will enable DEFCON AI to continue supporting the Department of Defense. It should also enable commercial enterprises to get needed products faster better, and more economical.
Red Cell Partners, an incubation firm, incorporated DEFCON AI in September 2022. Palo Alto-based American international law firm Cooley was DEFCON’s adviser for the seed financing.
