Terra Industries, Founded by Two Young Nigerians, Raises $11.75 Million to Scale Autonomous Defense Tech
Nigeria‑based defense technology startup **Terra Industries**, co‑founded by 22‑year‑old Nathan Nwachuku and 24‑year‑old Maxwell Maduka, has raised **$11.75 million in a major funding round** as it exits stealth mode to expand its autonomous defense systems across Africa. The investment underscores growing international confidence in African‑led high‑tech solutions for security and infrastructure protection.
Quick Insight:
The funding round was led by U.S. venture capital firm **8VC**, co‑founded by Palantir co‑founder Joe Lonsdale, with participation from prominent global investors — signaling global backers are increasingly supporting African tech innovators tackling critical continental challenges.
What Terra Industries Does
• Terra Industries designs and manufactures **autonomous defense and security systems** tailored for African environments to help governments and infrastructure operators monitor, secure, and respond to threats on land, air, and sea.
• The company’s product suite includes **long‑ and mid‑range drones, autonomous sentry towers, unmanned ground vehicles, and maritime surveillance systems**, all powered by its proprietary software platform, **ArtemisOS**.
• ArtemisOS enables **real-time threat detection and coordinated responses** across wide and challenging terrains — a capability crucial for protecting industrial assets in unstable regions.
Strategic Funding and Global Support
• The funding round was led by **8VC**, and included investors such as **Valor Equity Partners, Lux Capital, SV Angel, Leblon Capital, Silent Ventures and Nova Global**.
• **Alex Moore**, defense partner at 8VC and board director at Palantir, joined Terra Industries’ board last year, linking the startup to global defense expertise.
• The capital will be used to **expand manufacturing capacity, grow engineering and software teams, and deploy more autonomous systems across African countries**.
Impact Across the Continent
• Terra’s systems are already deployed to secure infrastructure assets valued at approximately **$11 billion**, including hydropower plants in Nigeria, gold and lithium mining operations, and other critical industrial sites.
• The startup is expanding its reach into **multi‑national border security and counterterrorism**, addressing growing regional instability.
• The company combines **African technical talent with global insights**, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign defense technology and build sovereign security capabilities.
Final Thoughts
The successful $11.75 million funding round for Terra Industries marks a major milestone for Africa’s defense technology landscape. With its autonomous systems designed for Africa’s unique challenges, the startup is poised to strengthen infrastructure security across the continent while showcasing how young African tech innovators can compete on the global stage.
