Aitan announces $41m. raise, along with a new identity and mission for sovereign robotic warfare

Aitan, formerly known as eyesAtop, has unveiled a $41 million funding round led by Deep33 and Dell Technologies Capital, marking a pivotal shift in its strategic direction. The new investment elevates the company’s total capital to $54 million, empowering it to rapidly deploy its combat-tested technology to allied nations. This financial boost supports ongoing product development, accelerates international expansion, and enables the hiring of additional personnel to manage rising demand. The rebranding initiative represents a transformation from a multi-drone operating system provider to a comprehensive autonomy and robotic warfare enterprise, positioning Aitan within the emerging field of robotic sovereignty-as-a-service. The company specializes in developing edge-AI robotic weapon systems designed for the complex demands of contemporary conflict. These systems are engineered to function effectively in environments where traditional communication channels may be compromised, ensuring adaptability and resilience throughout prolonged engagements. Aitan’s mission stems from deeply personal motivations and operational necessities. Founded by Udi Oster and Daniel Almog, both former members of the IDF’s 8200 Unit and co-founders of Tapingo, the company was inspired by tragic events during the October 7 Hamas attacks. Their friend, Or Levy, was taken hostage from the Nova music festival, while Oster’s younger brother, Eitan, lost his life during Israel’s ground operations in Lebanon. In tribute to Eitan, the company adopted its current name. “We built Aitan because we had no choice,” Almog stated. “Our friends and family went to war, and we were determined to build what could bring them home.” Over three years, they have created battlefield-proven technology and are committed to making these capabilities accessible to allies who require them. Aitan’s platform integrates a multi-drone command-and-control system that operates independently and can work with various drone models and operators. This allows militaries to utilize both civilian and military-grade platforms without needing to replace existing infrastructure or retrain personnel. By unifying disparate systems under a single interface, the platform enables a single operator to oversee multiple drones executing diverse tasks across different battlefronts. Real-time data exchange closes the sensor-to-shooter loop, enhancing situational awareness and response times. Continuous refinement of the technology occurs through direct input from reservists and veterans with substantial combat experience. With its new identity, Aitan is expanding beyond a general drone-control solution to become a leader in providing sovereign robotics infrastructure. Since 2023, its systems have undergone rigorous testing, accumulating over 500,000 combat hours across the IDF and Israeli national security agencies. The company currently manages several programs related to command-and-control, swarm operations, edge AI, and autonomy. Recently, Aitan secured a collaborative agreement to create the command-and-control platform for the IDF’s next-generation Digital Bat attack drone fleet, alongside securing key design contracts for advanced robotic weapon systems. The latest funding round features participation from prominent technology investors, including Gokul Rajaram, Benjamin Ling, and Kevin Weil. Yair Snir, managing director at Dell Technologies Capital, emphasized that Aitan is addressing a crucial challenge in defense autonomy, orchestrating diverse autonomous systems in contested environments. He noted that physical AI is anticipated to be one of the most transformative technological advancements of the coming decade, though the groundwork for this evolution is being laid by companies like Aitan.