A Rare Military Tech Unicorn Looks Past Afghanistan War
Shield AI initially made drones to protect ground troops, but it has raised $210 million to expand to larger aircraft in more complicated situations.
Drones at Martin UAV’s manufacturing facilities in Prosper, Texas.
Photographer: Allison V. Smith for Bloomberg Businessweek
Brandon Tseng, a former Navy SEAL who served in Afghanistan and other overseas deployments, developed the idea for his startup Shield AI to solve a problem specific to what he and his colleagues saw in the field. One of the most dangerous tasks for American ground troops in the Middle East was entering buildings that might contain armed fighters. So Shield, founded in 2015, built fleets of small, autonomous drones that would go in first and send photos and maps to soldiers waiting nearby.
The U.S. military has used Shield’s technology in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. The end of U.S. involvement in Afghanistan marks a new era for the military—and for Shield. The company has spent the better part of the year acquiring new technology and pitching officials and investors on a future beyond the Middle East. That includes the potential for conflicts with China or Russia, according to Tseng and other senior employees.