Fundraising Fox

Shield AI

San Diego, US · Founded 2015 · Delaware corporation · 41 known investors

Find your way into Shield AI

739 people in our graph share verified history with the Shield AI team — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.

Crystal Huangunlockedknows Andrew Reiter · together at Harvard University (overlapped)
×2knows the team · via Qualcomm
×2knows the team · via Shield AI
×3knows the team · via Harvard University
knows the team · via Northwestern University
knows the team · via US Navy

Shield AI develops AI pilot systems for military applications including aircraft, drones, ships, satellites, and submarines. The company serves the U.S. Department of Defense and allied nations.

AI & Machine LearningDefense Tech

Founders & leadership

Shield AI was founded in 2015 by Brandon Tseng, Ryan Tseng, and Andrew Reiter.

BTBrandon Tseng
Brandon Tsengin𝕏President & Co-FounderCo-founder and President of Shield AI, a venture-backed company that develops AI pilot systems for military applications—including aircraft, drones, ships, satellites, and submarines—serving the U.S. Department of Defense and allied nations.
RTRyan Tseng
Ryan Tsengin𝕏President, Co-Founder & Chief Strategy OfficerPresident, Co-Founder, and Chief Strategy Officer of Shield AI, which develops AI pilot systems for military platforms such as aircraft, drones, ships, satellites, and submarines, serving the U.S. Department of Defense and allied nations.
ARAndrew Reiter
Andrew ReiterinCo-FounderCo-founder of Shield AI, which develops AI pilot systems for military platforms such as aircraft, drones, ships, satellites, and submarines. He is an engineer with a background in robotics and autonomous systems, focusing on systems engineering, SLAM, and compute optimization.
KAKingsley Afemikhe
Kingsley AfemikheinChief Financial Officer
GS
Gary Steelein𝕏Chief Executive Officer

Board

KD
Keith DunleavyBoard director
AB
Andrew BerlinBoard director
PLPeter Levine
Peter Levinein𝕏Board directorGeneral Partner at Andreessen Horowitz
SZ
Shivon ZilisBoard directorFounding member at Bloomberg Beta
DGDaniel Gwak
Daniel Gwakin𝕏Board directorManaging Partner, Head of Point 72 Private Investments at Point72 Ventures
GCGaetano Crupi
Gaetano CrupiinBoard directorGeneral Partner at Prime Movers Lab
SMStephen Marcus
Stephen Marcusin𝕏Board MemberCo-Founder and General Partner at Riot Ventures

Investors · 41

645 VenturesNew York · $1M – $5M
Advaita CapitalBoston
Alpha PartnersNew York · $3M – $10M
Altra VentureNew York City · $500K – $25M
Andreessen HorowitzMenlo Park · $500K – $50Mvia Peter Levine · board
Beyond CapitalSan Diego
Booz Allen Ventures
Brave CapitalSan Rafael
Breyer CapitalAustin · $500K – $10M
Brighter CapitalCupertino · $25K – $100Kvia Yun-Fang Juan · inferred
Center15 CapitalLos Angeles
Chaos VenturesNew York
Cortado VenturesOklahoma City
Craft VenturesSan Francisco · $50K – $50M
Dorm RoomBrooklyn · $90K – $250K
Founder CollectiveCambridge
HomebrewBurlingame · $100K – $500K
Inflection VenturesNew Yorkvia Kabe Roashan · inferred
JuniperoMiami
K2 GlobalSingapore
Kinled HoldingHong Kongvia Patrick Aisher · inferred
Level VenturesSunny Isles Beachvia Sari Azout · inferred
Manhattan WestLos Angeles
Nearingpoint Venture Partners Inc.Torontovia Saurabh Khandelwal · inferred
Point72 VenturesNew York · $1M – $75M
R7 PartnersChicago · $100K – $5M
Riot VenturesVenice · $3M
Riverbend CapitalWashington
Rosecliff VenturesNew York City · $500K
Stack CapitalToronto
WealthUnion$10K
WP Global PartnersChicago · $5M – $25M
Advent InternationalreportedBoston · $1.1B
Blackstonereported
Bloomberg BetareportedSan Francisco · $25K – $1M
DisruptivereportedDallas
E1 VenturesreportedSan Franciscovia Ana Levine · inferred
Inertia VenturesreportedNew York · $2M
Prime Movers LabreportedJackson · $2M – $30Mvia Gaetano Crupi · board
SnowpointreportedPalm Beach
SnowPoint Venturesreported · 2 sourcesWest Palm Beachvia Doug Philippone · board

Funding

SEC filings, press & company announcements

$7B disclosed across 11 rounds · 2016–2026

▶$591.8MraisedMay 2026 · 32 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Shield AI Just Raised $2B and Doubled Its Valuation in a Yeartechlife.blog · Mar 2026Shield AI, a Start-Up Making Military Drones, Raises $2 Billion - The New York Timesnytimes.com · Mar 2026
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Keith DunleavyDirector
  • Andrew BerlinDirector
  • Brandon TsengExecutive Officer, Director
  • Peter LevineDirector
  • Shivon ZilisDirector
  • Kingsley AfemikheExecutive Officer
  • Gary SteeleExecutive Officer, Director
  • Daniel GwakDirector
  • Ryan TsengExecutive Officer, Director
  • Gaetano CrupiDirector
  • Stephen MarcusDirector
  • Doug PhilipponeDirector
  • Greg SmithDirector
Offering amount
$591.8M
Amount sold
$591.8M
First sale
Feb 2025
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$281.3MraisedJan 2024 · 21 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Brandon TsengExecutive Officer, Director
  • Andrew BerlinDirector
  • Daniel GwakDirector
  • Shivon ZilisDirector
  • Doug Stiles PhilipponeDirector
  • Peter LevineDirector
  • Stephen MarcusDirector
  • Gaetano CrupiDirector
  • Ryan TsengExecutive Officer, Director
Offering amount
$305M
Amount sold
$281.3M
Proceeds to insiders
$2M
First sale
Sep 2023
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$73MraisedMay 2022 · 11 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Shield AI raises $165M at a $2.3B valuation to fund its military AI pilotstechcrunch.com · Jun 2022
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Brandon TsengExecutive Officer, Director
  • Robert Stiles Harward, Jr.Director
  • Daniel GwakDirector
  • Peter LevineDirector
  • Doug PhilipponeDirector
  • Satya PatelDirector
  • Ryan TsengExecutive Officer, Director
Offering amount
$150M
Amount sold
$73M
Proceeds to insiders
$600K
First sale
May 2022
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$52.9MraisedNov 2020 · 13 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Ryan TsengExecutive Officer, Director
  • Brandon TsengExecutive Officer, Director
  • Peter LevineDirector
  • Satya PatelDirector
  • Daniel GwakDirector
  • Robert Stiles Harward, Jr.Director
Offering amount
$75M
Amount sold
$52.9M
First sale
Oct 2020
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$22.2MraisedAug 2019 · 6 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Ryan TsengExecutive Officer, Director
  • Brandon TsengExecutive Officer, Director
  • Satya PatelDirector
  • Peter LevineDirector
  • Robert Stiles Harward, Jr.Director
Offering amount
$25M
Amount sold
$22.2M
First sale
Aug 2019
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2015
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$10MraisedDec 2018 · 5 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Brandon TsengExecutive Officer, Director
  • Ryan TsengExecutive Officer, Director
  • Robert Stiles Harward, Jr.Director
  • Satya PatelDirector
  • Andrew ReiterExecutive Officer
  • Peter LevineDirector
Offering amount
$10M
Amount sold
$10M
First sale
Dec 2018
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2015
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$10.5MraisedMar 2017 · 11 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Satya PatelDirector
  • Brandon TsengExecutive Officer, Director
  • Peter LevineDirector
  • Ryan TsengExecutive Officer, Director
  • Brian LoseyExecutive Officer
Offering amount
$10.5M
Amount sold
$10.5M
Proceeds to insiders
$1M
First sale
Mar 2017
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2015
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗
▶$2.6MraisedMay 2016 · 19 investors · Other Technology
Rule 506(b)
Officers, directors & promoters on the filing
  • Andrew ReiterExecutive Officer
  • Brandon TsengExecutive Officer, Director
  • Ryan TsengExecutive Officer, Director
Offering amount
$2.6M
Amount sold
$2.6M
Proceeds to insiders
$200K
First sale
May 2016
Incorporated
Corporation, Delaware, 2015
Federal exemptions
06b
Full filing on SEC EDGAR ↗

Source: SEC EDGAR Form D. Amounts as filed; amended filings shown once at their latest values.

Founder mafia

The Shield AI mafia →

9 people who came through Shield AI went on to found or lead other companies.

Jesse RobbinsAngel InvestorFounded Chef +1David FrankelSeed InvestorFounded Founder CollectiveKingsley AdvaniInvestorFounded AllocationsDavid Zhi LuoZhangSoftware Engineering and ML InternFounded Bronco AIHarsha GundalaAutonomyFounded MoonshineWyatt LansfordMachine Learning Research EngineerFounded PallyAnshul AhluwaliaSenior Robotics EngineerFounded Surtr Defense SystemsCameron FioreSoftware Engineer - Planning and ControlsFounded Surtr Defense SystemsSam JonesProduct & EngineeringFounded Method Security

Competitors · 1

by search overlap
Breakingdefense122 shared keywordsBreaking Defense is a digital news organization covering defense strategy, politics, and military technology for defense sector decision-makers. It is owned by Breaking Media, a New York City-based business-to-business digital media company.

Companies competing with Shield AI for the same Google search keywords, organic and paid, via search-intersection analysis.

Non-dilutive funding · 5 SBIR/STTR awards

Federal grants — no equity taken
AgencyPhaseYearAmount
U.S. Air ForceAir ForcePhase II2022$1.8M
U.S. Air ForceAir ForcePhase II2021$749.4K
U.S. Air ForceAir ForcePhase I2021$49.6K
U.S. Air ForceAir ForcePhase II2020$1.5M
U.S. Air ForceAir ForcePhase I2020$43.7K

Source: SBIR.gov award data (U.S. Small Business Administration). SBIR/STTR awards are competitive federal R&D grants and contracts — non-dilutive capital alongside any venture rounds above.

In the news

Shield AI Completes Acquisition of Aechelon Technology - intelligence360intelligence360.news · Jul 2026Powerlaw Corp. (Nasdaq: PWRL) Announces Prometheus and Shield AI as Newest Holdings & Files Updated Schedule of Investmentsbusinesswire.com · Jul 2026Shield AI Raises $2B at $12.7B Valuation [2026] - Tech Insidertech-insider.org · Jun 2026Shield AI Raises $2B in Series G Funding; Acquires Aechelonfinsmes.com · Apr 2026Shield AI Just Raised $2B and Doubled Its Valuation in a Yeartechlife.blog · Mar 2026Shield AI projecting more than $540M in revenue this year as valuation more than doubles to $12.7 billion | Fortunefortune.com · Mar 2026Shield AI Raises $2B Series G at $12.7B Valuationtectonicdefense.com · Mar 2026Defense startup Shield AI lands $12.7B valuation, up 140%, after US Air Force deal | TechCrunchtechcrunch.com · Mar 2026

Frequently asked questions

What does Shield AI do?
Shield AI develops AI pilot systems for military applications including aircraft, drones, ships, satellites, and submarines. The company serves the U.S. Department of Defense and allied nations.
Who founded Shield AI?
Shield AI was founded by Brandon Tseng, Ryan Tseng, Andrew Reiter in 2015.
Who are Shield AI's investors?
Shield AI's investors include 645 Ventures, Advaita Capital, Alpha Partners, Altra Venture, Andreessen Horowitz, Beyond Capital, Booz Allen Ventures, Brave Capital and 33 more.
How much funding has Shield AI raised?
Shield AI has disclosed $7B raised across 11 rounds.
Where is Shield AI headquartered?
Shield AI is headquartered in San Diego, US.