Auterion announced it has closed a $130 million Series B round to accelerate the deployment of its AI-driven software across affordable, commercial-grade defense hardware.
According to Auterion, the investment was led by Bessemer Venture Partners, joined by Lakestar, Mosaic Ventures, and Costanoa Ventures. The company also highlighted $25 million in non-dilutive capital provided through the Office of Strategic Capital. As part of the round, Bessemer’s Alex Ferrara will take a seat on the company’s board.
The company stated that its goal is to transform warfare by shifting the focus from specialized, one-off drones toward large numbers of autonomous systems working together. Auterion stressed that its approach allows militaries to use scalable, cost-effective solutions by pairing commercial hardware with advanced software.
At the core of this effort is AuterionOS, which enables unified control and coordination of drones from multiple manufacturers. Alongside the operating system, the company’s Skynode X integrates autonomy, onboard computing, and secure communications, giving drones the ability to complete missions in environments where GPS or communications are disrupted.
Auterion mentioned that its technology is already deployed in Ukraine and is being used in active conflict, with the company also under contract with the Pentagon to deliver thousands of AI-powered strike kits. Auterion described this as one of the most significant autonomous deployments in Western defense to date.
Founder and CEO Lorenz Meier noted that “the future of defense is being defined by software, autonomy, and scale,” and emphasized that Auterion’s mission is to provide democratic nations with these capabilities. Alex Ferrara of Bessemer added that ongoing conflicts demonstrate how AI and mass-produced hardware are reshaping the defense landscape.
Auterion is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, with engineering centers in Zurich and Munich, and says it remains committed to an open architecture approach that supports diverse hardware integrations.
