Defense tech investors powering aerospace and autonomous systems 2026

Defense tech is back. After years of Silicon Valley avoiding military contracts, VCs are writing checks for autonomous systems, space hardware, and dual-use tech. The war in Ukraine proved software-defined weapons work. Anduril's $14B valuation got everyone's attention.

You'll need investors who understand long sales cycles and government procurement. Most traditional VCs don't. These 20 firms have closed defense tech deals from 2025 to 2026.

Quick list

Finding investors who get procurement

Experience: Find investors who've backed companies through FAR compliance and ITAR restrictions. Most consumer tech VCs don't understand 18-month sales cycles. Protect any sensitive audit documents using our password protection feature.

Network: Check if they can intro you to program managers at DoD or intelligence agencies. That matters more than generic aerospace connections.

Alignment: Early-stage defense investors often don't understand growth-stage unit economics when you're scaling production. Government margins are different.

Track record: Look at whether their portfolio companies actually won SBIR Phase IIIs or major contracts. Lots of defense startups raise money but never ship hardware. Use Ellty to share your deck with trackable links. You'll see who actually opens your bill of materials and production timeline.

Value-add: Ask what happened when their portfolio companies faced export control issues or security clearance delays. Generic "we have a great network" answers are useless. Most defense tech investors can't help with CMMC compliance or classified program transitions.

Getting meetings with defense tech VCs

Research recent deals: Check Pitchbook for 2025-2026 defense tech investments. Seed funds won't lead your $30M Series B for production scaling, no matter how good your prototype is.

Build the right pitch: Show actual DoD contracts or letters of intent. Most investors are tired of "dual-use potential" without signed government customers.

Share with tracking: Upload to Ellty and send trackable links. Monitor which pages investors spend time on. If they skip your regulatory compliance section, they probably don't understand defense contracting.

Use founder networks: Message portfolio founders on LinkedIn and ask about response times and actual help with security clearances. Most will be honest about which VCs ghost after investment.

Target defense events: Modern Day Marine, SOFIC, and AUSA are where deals actually happen. Skip the generic tech conferences.

Engage strategically: Connect with partners on LinkedIn after you've been introduced by a portfolio founder. Cold DMs to defense investors rarely work.

Organize documentation: Set up an Ellty data room with your ITAR compliance docs and government contracts before they ask. It speeds up due diligence. Read our blog on DPA compliance before sharing ITAR or export-controlled material.

Lead with traction: Start meetings with your DoD contract value and delivery timeline. Don't waste 20 minutes on TAM slides about the defense budget. When sharing sensitive details, review our guide on protecting decks to keep your compliance data safe.

Why 2026 matters for defense tech

The defense tech funding environment shifted in 2024-2025. Anduril's $14B valuation proved you can build billion-dollar defense companies outside the Beltway. Traditional primes like Lockheed and Northrop are losing contracts to startups with modern software stacks. For sensitive government files, ensure secure sharing using Ellty.

Congress increased RDT&E budgets for emerging tech. The Replicator initiative is pushing DoD to buy autonomous systems at scale. China's military modernization keeps pressure on procurement timelines. VCs who avoided defense are now racing to write checks.

20 defense tech investors

1. Shield Capital

Former Navy SEALs and DoD officials who actually understand defense procurement timelines.

• Recent Deals: Epirus ($200M Series C, 2024), Saronic ($175M Series B, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Raj Shah
• Sector Focus: autonomous systems, directed energy, counter-UAS, maritime defense
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: San Francisco, USA
• Website: shieldcap.com

2. Andreessen Horowitz

Most aggressive defense tech investor with dedicated team and $600M defense fund.

• Recent Deals: Hadrian ($180M Series C, 2024), Vannevar Labs ($75M Series B, 2025)
• LinkedIn: Katherine Boyle
• Sector Focus: autonomous systems, space, defense manufacturing, AI for defense
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: Menlo Park, USA
• Website: a16z.com

3. Founders Fund

Peter Thiel's firm that made defense tech investable with early Palantir and SpaceX bets.

• Recent Deals: Anduril (multiple rounds), Shield AI ($200M Series E, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Trae Stephens
• Sector Focus: aerospace, autonomous vehicles, defense AI, space systems
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B, Series C, growth
• Location: San Francisco, USA
• Website: foundersfund.com

4. Lux Capital

Science-focused VC that backs PhD founders building hard tech for defense applications.

• Recent Deals: Epirus ($200M Series C, 2024), Umbra ($32M Series B, 2023)
• LinkedIn: Josh Wolfe
• Sector Focus: directed energy, space intelligence, quantum sensing, advanced materials
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: New York, USA
• Website: luxcapital.com

5. DCVC

Data-focused investors who backed Anduril early and understand sensor fusion for autonomous systems.

• Recent Deals: Slingshot Aerospace ($40.85M Series A-2, 2024), Ursa Major ($85M Series D, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Zachary Bogue
• Sector Focus: space situational awareness, rocket propulsion, AI/ML for defense
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: Palo Alto, USA
• Website: dcvc.com

6. 8VC

Joe Lonsdale's firm that invests heavily in dual-use software and autonomous platforms.

• Recent Deals: Shield AI ($200M Series E, 2024), Rebellion Defense ($150M Series C, 2022)
• LinkedIn: Joe Lonsdale
• Sector Focus: AI for defense, autonomous systems, defense software platforms
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: Austin, USA
• Website: 8vc.com

7. Prime Movers Lab

Breakthrough technology investors focused on aerospace and deep tech with patient capital.

• Recent Deals: True Anomaly ($100M Series B, 2024), Varda Space ($42M Series A, 2022)
• LinkedIn: Dakin Sloss
• Sector Focus: space systems, advanced propulsion, orbital manufacturing
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: San Francisco, USA
• Website: primemoverslab.com

8. Caffeinated Capital

Early-stage firm that moves fast on defense tech deals, especially autonomous systems.

• Recent Deals: Saronic ($175M Series B, 2024), Capella Space ($97M Series D, 2023)
• LinkedIn: Raymond Tonsing
• Sector Focus: maritime autonomy, synthetic aperture radar, defense robotics
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Location: San Francisco, USA
• Website: caffeinatedcapital.com

9. Innovation Endeavors

Eric Schmidt's firm with deep government connections and focus on national security tech.

• Recent Deals: Rebellion Defense ($150M Series C, 2022), Primer ($110M Series B, 2021)
• LinkedIn: Dror Berman
• Sector Focus: defense AI, cybersecurity, dual-use software
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: Palo Alto, USA
• Website: www.innoenv.com

10. Lightspeed Venture Partners

Traditional tech VC making serious defense tech push with aerospace and space investments.

• Recent Deals: Relativity Space ($650M Series E, 2021), Nuro ($600M Series C, 2021 - autonomous delivery with defense applications)
• LinkedIn: Hemant Taneja
• Sector Focus: space launch, autonomous vehicles, robotics
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: Menlo Park, USA
• Website: lsvp.com

11. Valor Equity Partners

SpaceX's largest outside investor now backing defense-adjacent space infrastructure companies.

• Recent Deals: SpaceX (multiple rounds), Vast Space ($80M funding, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Antonio Gracias
• Sector Focus: space systems, satellite technology, launch infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Series B, Series C, growth
• Location: Chicago, USA
• Website: valorep.com

12. Two Sigma Ventures

Quantitative hedge fund's VC arm applying data-driven approach to defense tech investing.

• Recent Deals: Shield AI ($200M Series E, 2024), Hydrosat ($20M Series A, 2023)
• LinkedIn: Villi Iltchev
• Sector Focus: AI for defense, autonomous systems, satellite intelligence
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Location: New York, USA
• Website: tsvc.com

13. Khosla Ventures

Sporadic defense tech investor but writes large checks when they commit to a company.

• Recent Deals: Mach Industries ($79M Series A, 2023), Zipline ($330M Series E, 2023 - logistics with defense applications)
• LinkedIn: Vinod Khosla
• Sector Focus: energy systems, autonomous logistics, defense manufacturing
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, growth
• Location: Menlo Park, USA
• Website: khoslaventures.com

14. In-Q-Tel

CIA's strategic investment arm that validates commercial viability for government adoption.

• Recent Deals: Primer (undisclosed, 2020s), Orbital Insight (undisclosed, 2020s)
• LinkedIn: Christopher Darby
• Sector Focus: AI/ML, geospatial intelligence, cybersecurity, data analytics
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: Arlington, USA
• Website: iqt.org

15. Costanoa Ventures

Software-focused VC backing defense software platforms and command-and-control systems.

• Recent Deals: Rebellion Defense ($150M Series C, 2022), Augury ($180M Series E, 2021 - industrial IoT with defense applications)
• LinkedIn: Greg Sands
• Sector Focus: defense software, AI platforms, data infrastructure
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A, Series B
• Location: Palo Alto, USA
• Website: costanoavc.com

16. Eclipse Ventures

Manufacturing-focused VC investing in production technology for defense hardware scaling.

• Recent Deals: Hadrian ($180M Series C, 2024), Velo3D ($28M funding, 2024)
• LinkedIn: Lior Susan
• Sector Focus: defense manufacturing, 3D printing, production automation
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: Palo Alto, USA
• Website: eclipse.vc

17. Coatue Management

Late-stage tech investor writing large growth checks for defense unicorns scaling production.

• Recent Deals: Anduril ($1.5B Series F, 2024), Scale AI ($1B Series F, 2024 - AI labeling with defense contracts)
• LinkedIn: Dan Rose
• Sector Focus: autonomous systems, AI infrastructure, defense software
• Stage Focus: Series C, Series D, growth
• Location: New York, USA
• Website: coatue.com

18. General Catalyst

Traditional tech VC making recent defense tech entry with focus on autonomous systems.

• Recent Deals: Shield AI ($200M Series E, 2024), Varda Space ($42M Series A, 2022)
• LinkedIn: Hemant Taneja
• Sector Focus: autonomous aircraft, orbital manufacturing, defense AI
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B, Series C
• Location: Cambridge, USA
• Website: generalcatalyst.com

19. Point72 Ventures

Steve Cohen's hedge fund VC arm backing dual-use AI and autonomous vehicle technology.

• Recent Deals: Shield AI ($200M Series E, 2024), Aurora (autonomous trucks with dual-use potential)
• LinkedIn: Tripp Shriner
• Sector Focus: AI for defense, autonomous vehicles, robotics
• Stage Focus: Series A, Series B
• Location: Stamford, USA
• Website: point72ventures.com

20. Rebellion Defense

Former Palantir executives running corporate VC arm investing in defense AI applications.

• Recent Deals: Multiple AI and autonomy investments (undisclosed)
• LinkedIn: Chris Lynch
• Sector Focus: AI for defense, command and control software, data fusion
• Stage Focus: Seed, Series A
• Location: Washington DC, USA
• Website: rebelliondefense.com

Track which investors engage with your deck

These 20 defense tech investors closed deals from 2025 to 2026. Before you start reaching out, set up proper tracking.

Upload your deck to Ellty and create a unique link for each investor. You'll see exactly which slides they view and how long they spend on your ITAR compliance section. Most defense tech founders are surprised to learn investors skip market size slides but spend 10+ minutes on your DoD contract pipeline and unit economics.

When investors ask for more materials during diligence, share an Ellty data room instead of messy email threads. Your technical specifications, government contracts, security clearance documentation, and cap table in one secure place with view analytics.

Common questions

How do I know if a defense investor understands government procurement?

Ask if they've backed companies through FAR compliance or SBIR Phase III transitions. Check their portfolio for actual contract wins, not just fundraising announcements.

Should I cold email defense tech investors?

No. Get intros through portfolio founders or meet them at SOFIC, Modern Day Marine, or AUSA. Defense investors rarely respond to cold outreach.

What's the difference between seed and growth defense investors?

Seed investors fund R&D and prototypes. Growth investors want to see signed government contracts and production capacity. Don't pitch Shield Capital with just a prototype.

How many defense tech investors should I contact?

10-15 max. Defense tech is a small community. Investors talk to each other. Spray-and-pray approaches get you blacklisted.

When should I set up a data room for defense investors?

Before your first meeting. They'll want to see ITAR compliance, security clearances, and government contracts immediately. Use Ellty to organize everything with tracking.

Do I need security clearances before raising from defense investors?

Not always, but it helps. Many defense investors prefer founders who can access classified programs. Disclose your clearance status upfront.