Shifters raises $10.2 million Seed to build autonomous battlefield robots
Company targets high-risk environments with AI-driven ground platforms.
Shifters, which develops AI-native autonomous robotic teams, has raised a $10.2 million Seed round. The round was led by Ace Capital Partners, with participation from Aurelius Capital Management, Corner Ventures, Arkin Capital, and Fresh Fund. The financing brings the company’s total funding since its inception to $15 million.
The company, founded in 2023 by CEO Ofer Ballin and CTO Assaf Chaprak, develops low-cost autonomous ground platforms designed to operate in complex and difficult-to-navigate terrain. The systems are based on Modular Open Systems Approach (MOSA) principles that allow them to be equipped with a range of payloads depending on operational needs, from cameras and scanners to, in future applications, armed configurations.
In a conversation with Calcalist, the founders described the urgent operational need for the technology. “There has been significant technological progress in the field of drones, but in unstable or hostile environments, we still send a person forward. We are building systems with very high throughput that can reach anywhere,” said Ballin.
Ballin clarified that the company’s vision is to preserve human life. “Robots can do whatever is needed. We have developed a system that is not intended to replace human judgment, but rather to be operated by humans who remain responsible. In the first stage, we can perform scanning operations of an area, making it safer for forces to enter.”
According to the founders, the global security market is undergoing a major transformation. “It is a world that is changing, both commercially and geopolitically. The defense sector is booming, and we are at a unique inflection point where business and technological trends are converging. Our mission is to save human lives, and even in a world of peace, there are still many opportunities to make a positive impact.”
The company is currently transitioning from development to commercial deployment. “The product is still under development and will soon reach operational maturity,” said Chaprak. “We already have commercial contracts in defense and national security, and we work regularly with the Ministry of Defense, the Israel Defense Forces, and foreign entities. A significant portion of our activity is focused on development and field trials. The robot is remotely controlled, and we are adding advanced autonomous capabilities. Ultimately, the goal is full autonomous operation, so the systems can navigate obstacles independently and reach their intended destinations.”
The capital raised will be used to expand the platform’s agentic AI capabilities, accelerate production, and broaden its international footprint. Shifters currently employs 20 people across Israel, the US, and Europe, and is recruiting in AI, mechatronics, and software. The company participates in the Next October program and commemorates the late Margarita Gosek, who was murdered at the Nova music festival on October 7.
