Defense technology company Vermeer has closed its Series A funding round at $10 million, securing capital to scale its GPS-independent navigation system for military and commercial applications. The American-Ukrainian startup, which operates between New York and Kyiv, plans to expand partnerships with U.S. forces, NATO allies, and Ukraine’s Armed Forces.
Draper Associates led the round, with participation from AeroX Ventures, Boscolo Intervest, High Point Ventures, Rockaway Ventures, and the U.S. Air Force Techstars program. The funding will support continued development of Vermeer’s optical navigation platform, designed for environments where satellite signals are compromised.
Proven Technology in Active Combat Zones
Vermeer’s Visual Positioning System (VPS) addresses a critical vulnerability in modern warfare: GPS dependency. The technology enables drones and aerial vehicles to navigate accurately when satellite signals are jammed, disrupted, or deliberately spoofed with false data.
The system works by mimicking human visual navigation. Using up to four electro-optical or infrared cameras, VPS analyzes the surrounding environment and compares visual feeds against databases of landmarks and maps. An AI-powered Nvidia chip system processes this data to determine precise locations without external signals.
“Building advanced technology in a war zone is not easy — but it’s the only way to make it real,” said Brian Streem, CEO of Vermeer. “Operating alongside our partners on the front lines has forced us to iterate faster, build smarter, and focus on what actually works in combat. Our goal isn’t just to give drones mass — it’s to give them precision, intelligence, and purpose.”
Backing Technology That Works Under Pressure
The passive nature of VPS—requiring no external signals—makes it especially reliable in contested environments. This has proven valuable for Ukraine’s military forces, which are currently using the technology in active operations to counter Russian jamming and spoofing attempts.
“Dual-use tech catalyzes technical progress in both the defense and commercial sectors. And much of this innovation is already being deployed, to great success,” said Andy Tang, partner at Draper Associates. “One of the reasons we backed Vermeer is the incredible rate of success they’ve achieved specifically in helping Ukraine strengthen its drone fleet.”
Scaling Operations and Strategic Partnerships
Vermeer will use the new capital to meet growing customer demand and support ongoing innovation. The company has quadrupled its headcount in the past year, growing from 10 to 40 employees. Eight team members currently work from Ukraine.
The startup’s client roster includes the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. It now serves more than 30 customers across defense and commercial sectors. The technology’s applications extend beyond military use to autonomous vehicles, remote delivery systems, and other platforms requiring reliable navigation.
From Air Force Accelerator to Combat Deployment
Founded in New York, Vermeer emerged from the U.S. Air Force Techstars accelerator program. Through government support, the company secured over $7 million in SBIR awards and non-dilutive capital from AFWERX to develop its VPS technology.
Streem leads a company focused on creating vision-based autonomy solutions specifically designed for military applications. The firm maintains dual operations across the Atlantic, with forward operations in Kyiv keeping the team close to real-world testing conditions.
Investor Confidence in GPS-Independent Navigation
Rockaway Ventures sees Vermeer’s technology as foundational for the next generation of autonomous systems. “Vermeer’s navigation technology is easy to use, resistant to disruption, and scalable,” said Petr Šmíd, General Partner at Rockaway Ventures. “Unlike GPS, Vermeer’s system operates without radio signals and remains functional even when GPS is disrupted or non-existent. We believe this unique technology will become the standard for drones, robots, and other autonomous platforms, driving a new wave of autonomous systems.”
Tang highlighted the broader potential: “The Vermeer AI-based visual positioning system uses landmarks, stars, and other cues to help drones position themselves without needing GPS, which makes them more resilient and able to overcome jamming, spoofing, and other forms of technical attack. Their technology is changing the game for drone operations and their location accuracy. And it has innumerable applications outside of defense including for autonomous vehicles, remote delivery, and more.”
The Series A extension positions Vermeer to accelerate development while maintaining its operational presence in active conflict zones, where real-world conditions continue to validate and refine the technology.
