Cambridge Aerospace, a British defense technology startup, has raised over $130 million to develop the Skyhammer system, a low-cost analogue of Israel’s Iron Dome for shooting down missiles and drones.
Cambridge Aerospace, a British defense technology startup, has raised over $130 million to develop the Skyhammer system, a low-cost analogue of Israel’s Iron Dome for shooting down missiles and drones.
The main investor was the Ukrainian fund D3 (Dare to Defend Democracy), among whose largest partners is Eric Schmidt, former CEO of Google.
Spark Capital, Lakestar, Lux, and Accel funds also invested in the company.
In total, over the year of its existence, the startup has raised over $130 million investment, writes The Telegraph .
The startup was founded just a year ago, and former UK Defense Minister Grant Shapps became the chairman of the board of directors.
In September, the company will present its solutions publicly for the first time at the DSEI 2025 exhibition in London.
Eric Schmidt actively supports defense projects for Ukraine, including the mass production of drones, and calls drone warfare «the future of conflict.»
The system is designed to ensure mass production of interceptors — up to several thousand per month.
The main goal is to create an effective and cheap means of countering mass attacks by «kamikaze» drones and missiles.
Part of the production is planned at a new missile components manufacturing plant in Norfolk (United Kingdom).
According to Cambridge Aerospace founder Stephen Barrett, the war in Ukraine has spurred investment in military technology that had previously been avoided due to ethical considerations: «It has shown that freedom and democracy cannot be taken for granted,» he noted.
Now defense projects are becoming part of ESG investments (environment, social development, governance) because they help protect democracy.
