Shield AI
AI pilots for drones and aircraft
Ranked #2 in Best Defense Tech Startups, and on 1 more ranking.
Shield AI, founded in 2015 in San Diego, makes Hivemind, an AI pilot for autonomous aircraft, and the V-BAT vertical takeoff drone. In March 2026 it raised a $1.5 billion Series G at a $12.7 billion valuation, led by Advent International.
At a glance
| Price from | Custom |
| Best for | Militaries adding autonomy to aircraft and drones |
From Shield AI's own website.
What stands out
- Products already flying with militaries
- Autonomy software works across aircraft types
Worth knowing
- Defense customers only
- Competes with large defense primes
How it ranks
Shield AI is ranked 2nd of 10 in Best Defense Tech Startups (Lister Score 96.1) and 5th of 10 in Best Deep Tech Startups to Watch (Lister Score 92.0).
#2 in Best Defense Tech Startups · Lister Score 96.1
Shield AI, founded in 2015 and based in San Diego, makes Hivemind, an AI pilot for aircraft, and the V-BAT vertical take-off drone. It raised a $1.5 billion Series G at a $12.7 billion valuation in March 2026, plus $500 million in preferred equity from Blackstone.
In October 2026 the US Navy added $150 million to Shield AI's X-BAT AI-piloted fighter program, bringing combined commitments to $400 million..
| Rank | Best Defense Tech Startups | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anduril Industries | 97.3 |
| 2 | Shield AI | 96.1 |
| 3 | Helsing | 95.0 |
| 4 | Saronic Technologies | 93.8 |
| 5 | Castelion | 92.6 |
| 6 | Quantum Systems | 91.4 |
| 7 | Hadrian | 90.1 |
| 8 | CHAOS Industries | 88.9 |
| 9 | Epirus | 87.6 |
| 10 | Mach Industries | 86.3 |
#5 in Best Deep Tech Startups to Watch · Lister Score 92.0
The March 2026 valuation followed Shield AI's selection as the software provider for Anduril's Fury aircraft for the US Air Force..
| Rank | Best Deep Tech Startups to Watch | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anduril Industries | 96.8 |
| 2 | Commonwealth Fusion Systems | 95.6 |
| 3 | Helsing | 94.5 |
| 4 | PsiQuantum | 93.3 |
| 5 | Shield AI | 92.0 |
| 6 | Figure AI | 90.8 |
| 7 | Saronic Technologies | 89.5 |
| 8 | Hadrian | 88.2 |
| 9 | Stoke Space | 86.9 |
| 10 | Varda Space Industries | 85.6 |
Frequently asked questions
How does Shield AI rank on Lister?
Shield AI is ranked 2nd of 10 in Best Defense Tech Startups (Lister Score 96.1) and 5th of 10 in Best Deep Tech Startups to Watch (Lister Score 92.0).
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