Arondite raises $12m to connect defence systems with AI
Image by Thongden Studio / copyright Shutterstock
The $10 million Seed round was led by Index Ventures. This follows on from a previously undisclosed $2.25 million pre-seed round led by Concept Ventures and Creator Fund.
As a proliferation of new hardware - such as drones, ground robots and AI-powered sensors - is adopted across defence and the wider world, Arondite aims to enable customers to safely connect and use any system from any manufacturer together.
Crucially, their software gives human operators clearer oversight and better operational control, leading to safer deployment of autonomous tools.
Founded by a team of UK-based defence specialists, Arondite is designed for organisations operating a range of defence or security systems at scale. The technology connects disparate hardware, acting as the ‘connective tissue’ to allow operators to oversee systems through one interface and optimise human-machine collaboration, reducing risks and boosting safety. Arondite also acts as a data layer, using AI and machine learning to deliver analytics and insights to teams and drive efficiencies across organisations.
The software is hardware agnostic, meaning it can be used in any scenario where multiple autonomous systems, robots or sensors are being deployed.
Arondite was founded by former British Army Officer, Will Blyth (CEO), who also held roles at Palantir and Helsing, alongside Rob Underhill (CTO), who was a lead engineer at BAE Systems before becoming the Founding Engineer at Garrison Technology. Arondite was inspired by Blyth’s experience on the battlefield, where access to connected systems that surface the right information at the right time is critical.
The founders believe their technology will make a game-changing difference across a wide range of use cases. Early examples are minefield clearance, where multiple autonomous machines can now be used together, as well as in counter-intrusion efforts, helping protect large scale public infrastructure such as transport and energy networks or secure commercial sites.
Will Blyth, former British Army Officer and co-founder and CEO of Arondite, commented: “During my military career, having the right information at the right time was often a matter of life or death. Defence systems that don’t talk to each other make operations far more dangerous. My vision for Arondite was to create the software and AI tools to connect up defence hardware and give people working on the front lines the information, oversight and understanding they need to make use of machines and AI, without compromising safety and control.
“Defence organisations, governments and industry are increasingly relying on blends of autonomous systems. But current approaches to leveraging these complex webs of hardware and data aren’t keeping pace. That’s why Arondite’s ‘connective tissue’ approach is so vital right now. We need to offer teams new, scalable ways to work with machines. That’s the role we believe we can play in UK and European defence and security going forward.”
Hannah Seal, Partner at Index Ventures, who led the Seed round, said: “We’re thrilled to support Will and Rob on their journey to enable true human-machine teaming in the autonomous age. With their rare combination of real-world experience, technical expertise and startup acumen, they are uniquely equipped to change how people interact with robots while ensuring they safely retain control over critical decisions.”
