ZeroMark Banks $7 Million in Seed for its AI-powered Anti Drone Defense System

ZeroMark, a defense technology startup, has closed a $7 million seed funding round led by Ground Up Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz.

The capital from this round will be used to accelerate the company’s development of its AI-powered auto-aiming system which transforms standard infantry rifles into effective counter-drone defense systems.

ZeroMark’s technology is used to integrate advanced computer vision and precision robotics with any standard carbine or rifle without tools, and features real-time threat analytics, identification of friend vs foe, and automatic aim augmentation which, most importantly, provides the user with tactical superiority – including greater speed and accuracy – to combat fast-moving, low-altitude drone threats in complex battlefield environments.

ZeroMark describes its system as a “handheld Iron Dome” that can be accessible to every soldier. The company was founded in 2022 and is headquartered in New York City.

“As a firm with deep roots in Israel, we have witnessed firsthand the critical need for companies like ZeroMark to provide superior precision hardware and software systems to those that protect and defend freedom and democracy,” said Jordan Odinsky, a partner at Ground Up Ventures. “We are thrilled to lead this funding round which will enable ZeroMark to have an outsized impact on the way the United States and its allies protect their citizens, law enforcement, and warfighters.”

“The proliferation of drone technology poses an evolving threat to our armed forces,” said Joel Anderson, the CEO of ZeroMark. “Our mission is to empower every soldier with a cost-effective, highly portable counter-drone solution that delivers unparalleled performance. With the support of our investors, we are ready to deploy this critical capability and ensure our defenders maintain a decisive edge on the battlefield.”

“Military precision is critical in the next generation of warfare,” said Katherine Boyle, a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz. “We’re proud to support ZeroMark as they build new technology to protect and serve armed forces on the battlefield.”

Andreessen Horowitz invests in seed to venture to growth-stage technology companies, across AI, bio + healthcare, consumer, crypto, enterprise, fintech, games, infrastructure, and companies building toward American dynamism. The firm has $565 billion in assets under management across multiple funds and is headquartered in Menlo Park, California with additional offices in San Francisco and New York City.

Ground Up Ventures invests from $250,000 and $500,000 in pre-seed and seed-stage opportunities. Sectors of interest include finance and technology, digital health and wellness, ecommerce, consumer products and services, and advanced technologies including quantum computing and robotics. The firm is headquartered in Philadelphia with an additional office in Jerusalem, Israel​.