Smack Technologies, a defense technology startup developing artificial intelligence systems for military decision-making, is raising $61 million in a Series B funding round as pressure from the Pentagon accelerates demand for its technology.
The new investment is intended to increase production of Smack’s flagship Omega system and support the development of Alpha, a wearable AI device designed for use by troops on the battlefield.
The funding comes several months after the U.S. Department of Defense declared Anthropic a “supply-chain risk” in March. The decision disrupted the military’s relationship with the AI company and prompted various branches of the armed forces to look for a wider range of artificial intelligence suppliers. For smaller defense technology companies such as Smack, the shift created an opportunity to become more prominent military AI providers.
Smack co-founder and CEO Andy Markoff said the company held discussions with the U.S. Marine Corps and Navy during the spring. According to Markoff, both branches urged the startup to accelerate production of its technology.
The push reflects a broader concern within the Pentagon about how artificial intelligence and military decision-making would function during a potential conflict with a similarly capable adversary. Markoff said such a war could take place in environments where communications are severely disrupted, making it difficult for troops to continuously send information to centralized command centers.
He said future conflicts are likely to be more decentralized than previous U.S. military operations, including those in Iraq and Afghanistan. As a result, many tactical decisions could need to be made directly on the battlefield before information can reach centralized systems.
Smack’s main product, Omega, is designed to support the Marine Corps’ fires-planning process. The system helps determine potential targets, identify how they can be engaged and adjust plans when weapons, sensors or other elements become unavailable during an operation.
The company said Omega combines reinforcement-learning models with real-time computer vision. Its technology is designed to produce possible courses of action within minutes and modify disrupted battle plans within seconds. Smack describes the existing military “kill chain” as vulnerable to disruption and too slow to respond effectively to rapidly changing battlefield conditions.
The startup has also secured new government contracts. In July, Smack announced that it had received two prototyping contracts, one from the Joint Fires Network and another from the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab. Although the individual contract values were not disclosed, the company said their combined value exceeded seven figures.
The latest financing will also be used to develop Alpha, a wearable AI computer intended for battlefield operations. The device is being designed as a flexible display worn on the forearm. Smack envisions it as an alternative to improvised whiteboards that soldiers have historically attached to their arms while operating in the field.
Development of Alpha is being led from Smack’s office in Austin, Texas. The company aims to produce between 10 and 20 prototype units during the next six months.
The funding round includes investment from Costanoa Ventures, First In, Point72 Ventures and Geodesic Capital, among other participants. Smack did not disclose the valuation assigned to the company as part of the Series B financing.
The startup has also expanded its workforce rapidly as demand for its technology has increased. Smack employed 19 people in April, but that figure has since risen to 51. The company expects its workforce to reach approximately 85 employees by the end of the year.
The expansion underscores the growing competition among defense technology companies seeking to provide artificial intelligence capabilities to the U.S. military. With military branches seeking faster and more adaptable systems, Smack is directing its latest capital toward both software and battlefield hardware.
The company’s strategy centers on enabling troops to make decisions closer to the point of action, particularly when communications with centralized military systems are disrupted. Through Omega and the developing Alpha device, Smack is seeking to position its technology for a military environment in which rapid adaptation and decentralized decision-making are increasingly important.
