In today’s rapidly evolving defence landscape, machines—from drones to smart sensors—are everywhere. But most of them don’t speak the same language. Built by different manufacturers, many systems remain disconnected, creating critical gaps in coordination. That’s where Arondite comes in. The London-based AI defence tech startup just raised $12 million to fix this fragmentation and enable seamless collaboration across autonomous systems.
Founded by veterans of the battlefield and defence industry, Arondite is building the software layer that ties it all together. Its platform connects various autonomous machines into one unified interface—no matter who built them. The result is smarter, safer decision-making on the ground, powered by real-time insights and AI.
Funding Backed by Leading Deeptech Investors
This latest $12 million round reflects growing investor interest in military-grade AI integration. Index Ventures led the seed round with a $10 million investment. Previously, Arondite quietly secured a $2.25 million pre-seed round from Concept Ventures and Creator Fund. Combined, the startup has now raised over $12 million to fuel its mission.
Index Ventures is no stranger to backing transformative technologies. Known for investments in Deliveroo, Discord, and Aurora, the firm sees Arondite as a company capable of reshaping the way humans and machines work together in high-stakes settings. Partner Hannah Seal praised the founders for their unique mix of field experience, technical know-how, and startup leadership.
Concept Ventures and Creator Fund, early backers of deeptech pioneers, also saw potential in Arondite’s vision from the start. Their focus on diverse, technically strong teams made this a natural fit.
Built by Founders Who Understand the Battlefield
Arondite was founded by Will Blyth and Rob Underhill—two individuals deeply rooted in the defence world. Blyth served as a British Army officer before working at Palantir and Helsing, both known for their work in security tech. Underhill, meanwhile, led engineering at BAE Systems and was the founding engineer at Garrison Technology.
Their experiences give Arondite a sharp edge. Blyth saw firsthand how dangerous it can be when systems don’t talk to each other. In combat, missing or delayed data can cost lives. That insight shaped his goal for Arondite: connect defence hardware using intelligent software so front-line teams have the full picture—without losing human oversight or control.
Connecting the Dots Across Military Systems
Arondite’s platform is hardware-agnostic. That means it can integrate devices from any vendor into a single secure environment. Instead of replacing equipment, it brings existing tools together—and enhances how they work through AI.
The software doesn’t just link devices; it makes them smarter. Machine learning helps process incoming data, providing insights to operators in real time. Early use cases include dangerous, high-pressure scenarios like minefield clearance and counter-intrusion missions, where precision and speed are vital.
Unlike competitors such as Shield AI or Anduril, who focus on building new machines, Arondite takes a more inclusive route. It upgrades what’s already in place, making defence systems work better together.
Expanding Across Europe’s Defence Landscape
With fresh capital in hand, Arondite plans to scale fast. It’s hiring more engineers and product developers while expanding its presence across European defence operations. The team is also pushing the limits of its AI models to handle more advanced, real-world scenarios.
As defence agencies and governments rely more heavily on autonomous machines, Arondite’s connective software aims to become the backbone of coordination. Blyth believes their platform fills a critical gap: while the hardware is advancing, the systems linking them haven’t kept pace. Arondite’s mission is to change that—and give teams on the ground the tools they need to work safely and efficiently with machines.
