New York- and Kyiv-based Vermeer, an American-Ukrainian startup specializing in vision navigation and autonomy technologies for defense applications, has announced the close of a $10 million Series A funding round.

The investment was led by Draper Associates and backed by co-investors including Los Angeles-based AeroX Ventures, Boscolo Intervest, High Point Ventures, Rockaway Ventures, and the U.S. Air Force Techstars accelerator program, which has run its programs in Boston.

According to the company’s announcement, this capital infusion will support the expansion of Vermeer’s partnerships with U.S. military forces, NATO allies, and the Armed Forces of Ukraine, while scaling its optical navigation technology for both defense and commercial sectors.

Vermeer’s over 30 customers include the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, with active deployment by Ukrainian forces to maintain drone efficacy against adversarial electronic warfare.

“Building advanced technology in a war zone is not easy — but it’s the only way to make it real. Operating alongside our partners on the front lines has forced us to iterate faster, build smarter, and focus on what actually works in combat,” said Vermeer CEO Brian Streem, who was featured in Inc. magazine’s 30 Under 30 in 2017.

“Our goal isn’t just to give drones mass — it’s to give them precision, intelligence, and purpose. We’re proud to have earned the trust of over 30 customers, and with the support of Draper, and our other venture partners, we’re ready to scale that mission,” he added.

The firm said in a statement that its Visual Positioning System (VPS) technology offers a GPS-independent navigation solution critical for drones and other aerial vehicles operating in contested or GPS-denied environments. The VPS system employs multiple electro-optical or infrared cameras to interpret the surrounding environment by comparing live visuals against a database of landmarks and pre-existing maps, enhanced by AI processing via Nvidia chips.

This approach allows drones to maintain precise location awareness even when GPS signals are jammed or spoofed, a vulnerability commonly exploited in modern conflicts.

Vermeer’s growth from a small team of 10 employees to 40 within a year demonstrates its scaling trajectory, with ongoing operations maintained in both New York and Kyiv. The startup credits its early development phase to the U.S. Air Force’s Techstars accelerator and significant non-dilutive Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding through the AFWERX program, which have bolstered its R&D efforts. The $10 million funding round is intended to further accelerate product innovation and meet increasing demand from defense and commercial clients worldwide.

In the context of the broader defense tech landscape, Vermeer’s raise is modest compared to those of other startups such as Auterion and Mach Industries. However, Vermeer’s focus on navigation resilience addresses a specific and critical capability that complements broader autonomous system developments. As geopolitical tensions and cyber-electronic warfare continue to intensify, navigation solutions resistant to jamming and spoofing represent a vital niche within drone and autonomous platform sectors.

[Noah Wire Services helped in the writing if this article.]

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