London-based defence tech startup Uforce has secured $50 million in funding at a valuation of over $1 billion, becoming one of the first defence-tech unicorns with Ukrainian roots.
- Established in 2022 by Oleg Rogynskyy and Oleksii Honcharuk, Uforce develops unmanned systems for air, land, and sea operations that have been deployed extensively in Ukraine’s armed forces.
- The company builds autonomous platforms, counter-drone systems, strike drones, uncrewed surface vessels, and battlefield management software.
- Its systems are designed from real combat experience, with thousands of missions in Ukraine informing iterative improvements. Performance data shows high operational efficiency, with unmanned aerial vehicles averaging over 16 missions per airframe, multiple targets neutralized per vehicle, and cost per effect significantly lower than traditional systems.
- Uforce integrates these platforms into a combined command-and-control structure, enabling rapid deployment and coordinated operations across domains. Production is spread across multiple allied countries, ensuring supply chain resilience and scalability.
"Ukraine's defence tech community is one of the most important things to come out of this war. Uforce is our way of making sure those innovations reach every ally that needs them," commented Oleg Rogynskyy, co-founder of Uforce.
Details of the deal
- The investment saw backing from venture capital firms Lakestar, Shield Capital, and Ballistic Ventures, with additional participation from Iron Wolf Capital.
- The firm plans to use the fresh capital to expand manufacturing into multiple allied countries and increase output of its combat-proven defence systems, including counter-drone technology, autonomous vehicles, and battlefield management software. The investment will also help UFORCE meet growing international demand while reducing reliance on a single production site.
