Vermeer, an American-Ukrainian startup specializing in vision navigation and autonomy technologies for defense applications, has closed 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.
According to the company, the 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 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," said Vermeer CEO Brian Streem. "Operating alongside our partners on the front lines has forced us to iterate faster, build smarter, and focus on what actually works in combat."
Vermeer's 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.
The startup'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. Vermeer 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.
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.
