New York- and Kyiv-based Vermeer, an American-Ukrainian startup focusing on vision navigation and autonomy for defense applications, has announced the close of 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 United States Air Force Techstars accelerator program.
According to the company, the capital will support the expansion of 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 technology, the Visual Positioning System (VPS), offers a GPS-independent navigation solution critical for drones operating in contested or GPS-denied environments. The VPS uses multiple electro-optical or infrared cameras to interpret surroundings 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 exploited in modern conflicts.
Vermeer's over 30 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. CEO Brian Streem, featured in Inc. magazine's 30 Under 30 in 2017, stated, 'Building advanced technology in a war zone is not easy — but it’s the only way to make it real. Operating alongside our partners on the front lines has forced us to iterate faster, build smarter, and focus on what actually works in combat.' He added, 'Our goal isn’t just to give drones mass — it’s to give them precision, intelligence, and purpose. We’re proud to have earned the trust of over 30 customers, and with the support of Draper, and our other venture partners, we’re ready to scale that mission.'
The startup's growth from a small team of 10 employees to 40 within a year demonstrates its scaling trajectory, with ongoing operations in both New York and Kyiv. Vermeer credits its early development to the U.S. Air Force's Techstars accelerator and significant non-dilutive Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) funding through the AFWERX program. The $10 million funding round is intended to accelerate product innovation and meet increasing demand from defense and commercial clients worldwide.
In the broader defense tech landscape, Vermeer's raise is modest compared to startups like Auterion and Mach Industries, but its focus on navigation resilience addresses a critical capability. As geopolitical tensions and cyber-electronic warfare intensify, navigation solutions resistant to jamming and spoofing represent a vital niche within drone and autonomous platform sectors.
