Battlefield To Boardroom: The Veteran Founders Riding Defense Tech’s $32 Billion Boom

forbes.com Aug 3, 2026

Battlefield To Boardroom: The Veteran Founders Riding Defense Tech’s $32 Billion Boom

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Aug 3, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Ex‑Navy SEAL Brandon Tseng, his brother Ryan and Harvard‑trained engineer Andrew Reiter founded Shield AI to apply artificial‑intelligence and autonomous drone technology to battlefield scouting. Their flagship product, the Nova quadcopter, streams live video of interior spaces, allowing troops to assess structures before entry and reducing exposure to hostile fire. Since its 2015 launch, the company has attracted a share of the record $32 billion venture capital poured into defense tech since 2022, propelling it to a valuation of $12.7 billion and ranking it among the nation’s most valuable defense‑sector unicorns. Shield AI’s growth reflects a broader shift toward AI‑driven weaponry, driven by former service members seeking to mitigate combat risk through advanced autonomy.

💡 Why It Matters

· Veteran‑led AI startups are turning battlefield lessons into billion‑dollar enterprises, reshaping military procurement and the economics of modern warfare.

Read full article on forbes.com

Airbus and Thales win order for SpainSat replacement

Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space have been selected by Spain’s Hisdesat to build SpainSat NG 3, a geostationary military communications satellite. Airbus will supply the X‑band payload, while Thales will provide UHF and Ka‑band systems. The satellite, slated for launch in Q3 2030 and service entry in early 2031, will cover the Americas, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, enhancing bandwidth, agility, and protection against jamming. The project follows the loss of SpainSat NG 2 in 2025 and aligns with the companies’ Project Bromo joint venture.

💡 The new satellite restores critical communication links for Spain’s armed forces and allies, ensuring continuity of operations after the 2025 failure. It also demonstrates the growing collaboration among European aerospace leaders to secure strategic defense capabilities.

cleantechnica.com · Aug 3

It’s Official: US Army Dives Into The EV Tank

The US Army has awarded an 18-month contract to Harbinger Motors, in partnership with Rheinmetall, Forterra, and Primordial Labs, to deliver uncrewed, hybrid-electric resupply vehicles. This initiative marks a significant shift from the military’s previous cautious approach to electrification, driven by lessons from Ukraine regarding autonomous warfare. The vehicles will autonomously transport supplies to forward lines, reducing soldier risk and enhancing operational efficiency in contested environments. The program emphasizes advancements in autonomy, commerciality, and hybrid power integration, featuring voice control for improved human-machine interaction. Harbinger, a California-based startup founded in 2021, specializes in modification-ready electric chassis for medium-duty trucks. The company recently secured $100 million in Series B funding and maintains a $500 million order book. Its HC series offers range-extended capabilities with up to 500 miles of range and 15-kilowatt power output, eliminating the need for diesel generators. This contract represents a concrete step toward integrating autonomous, hybrid-electric technology into US military logistics operations.

💡 The Army’s pivot to autonomous hybrid logistics directly addresses the vulnerability of human supply convoys in modern asymmetric warfare. By leveraging commercial EV infrastructure for military resupply, the US military reduces its logistical footprint while increasing survivability on the battlefield.

siliconangle.com · Aug 3

Report claims China is distilling U.S. frontier models to power military AI…

A Reuters report, conducted with the Jamestown Foundation, alleges that Chinese AI firms are distilling outputs from U.S. frontier models by OpenAI and Anthropic to train military applications. The investigation analyzed over 80 academic papers and patents, finding that institutions linked to the Chinese military harvest data from American models to bypass strict export controls on advanced chips. This technique, known as model distillation, allows researchers to create efficient “student” models that match the performance of powerful “teacher” models using less computational power. The report coincides with recent benchmarks showing Chinese models like Alibaba’s Qwen3.8 and Moonshot AI’s Kimi K3 rivaling U.S. leaders. While distillation has legitimate uses, U.S. officials accuse Chinese firms of misusing the practice. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has threatened sanctions against guilty entities, though Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has highlighted the irony of such accusations given the complex nature of AI development.

💡 The threat of sanctions against Chinese AI firms escalates the geopolitical tension surrounding intellectual property in artificial intelligence. This move forces a critical examination of whether current export controls are effective or if they inadvertently drive adversarial innovation through alternative technical workarounds.

thequantuminsider.com · Aug 3

Atomionics Expands Quantum Gravimetry Research Into Ocean Sensing

Atomionics has inaugurated a new quantum sensing hub in Singapore, marking a strategic expansion of its GRAVIO quantum gravimetry technology into marine applications. Backed by Enterprise Singapore and Cap Vista, a subsidiary of the Defence Science and Technology Agency, the company aims to map the seabed, subsurface structures, and underwater environments in three dimensions. The technology detects gravitational signatures from mass movements without emitting signals, offering a non-invasive method for monitoring maritime infrastructure, exploring resources, and mapping the ocean floor. This initiative addresses the challenge of exploring Earth’s largest uncharted territory, where traditional tools struggle to penetrate water and sediment. Atomionics plans to utilize GRAVIO for securing undersea cables, resource exploration, and ensuring navigable harbors. The system, already proven in harsh industrial settings like active mines, demonstrates the precision required for open-sea operations. Singapore’s investment highlights its commitment to dual-use deep-tech capabilities that converge commercial innovation with national security interests. The partnership with the Future Systems and Technology Directorate further underscores the strategic importance of this emerging marine intelligence capability for regional trade and defense.

💡 Quantum gravimetry offers a stealthy, non-emitting method to monitor critical undersea infrastructure, directly addressing vulnerabilities in global data cables and trade routes. By enabling precise, three-dimensional mapping of the seabed without physical contact, this technology provides a strategic advantage for nations relying on secure maritime logistics.

thequantuminsider.com · Aug 3

Qubitrium Supports NATO Training Programme on Dual-Use Quantum Technologies

Qubitrium co-organized and provided academic leadership for the NATO STO Summer Training Programme 2026 on dual-use quantum technologies. Collaborating with partners including CTTC, NCIA, Delft University, and KIT, the initiative educated graduate students, researchers, and policymakers from NATO member and partner nations. Dr. Kadir Durak helped lead the curriculum, while Qubitrium experts directed intensive hands-on laboratory sessions. Participants gained practical experience in quantum hardware, covering entanglement distribution, quantum networks, sensing, and supply chain resilience. The programme combined expert lectures, workshops, and policy discussions to address both civilian and defence applications. Speakers from organizations like IQC, DLR, and SIPRI contributed to the multidisciplinary approach. This effort aims to foster international collaboration and responsible innovation. Qubitrium’s involvement underscores its commitment to advancing quantum education and workforce development. The training supports the creation of a skilled community capable of navigating the security challenges and opportunities presented by next-generation quantum technologies in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

💡 By integrating rigorous technical training with strategic policy discussions, this initiative directly addresses the critical skills gap in the dual-use quantum sector. It establishes a standardized framework for NATO nations to collaboratively manage the security implications of emerging quantum infrastructure.

siliconangle.com · Aug 3

Eric Trump-backed Space-Eyes to go public via $638M SPAC merger

Space-Eyes, a Miami-based defense technology startup, plans to go public through a merger with McKinley Acquisition Corp, valuing the combined entity at approximately $638 million. Eric Trump, who recently became the third-largest private investor, will serve as a strategic adviser following the transaction. The company, led by CEO Jatin Bains, develops artificial intelligence systems for counter-drone warfare and geospatial intelligence. Despite generating only about $1 million in annual revenue, Space-Eyes is negotiating contracts worth roughly $35 million over five years. Current deployments include monitoring drug trafficking in the Caribbean and preventing contraband smuggling in U.S. prisons. Post-merger, the firm intends to scale operations using third-party manufacturers to compete for government and corporate clients globally. Key products include SeaWatch for maritime intelligence and Morpheus for autonomous aerial threat mitigation.

💡 The merger validates a high-valuation exit for a pre-revenue AI defense firm, signaling investor appetite for counter-drone technology despite minimal current earnings. Eric Trump’s involvement bridges political security expertise with commercial defense contracting, potentially accelerating government adoption of private-sector surveillance solutions.