African defense technology startup Terra Industries has secured an additional $18 million in funding, bringing its total seed round to $52 million. The investment marks one of the largest seed raises for an African defense technology company and positions Terra to accelerate the development and deployment of autonomous security systems across the Global South.
The latest funding round attracted new investors, including Norleo Space Investments and angel investor Grant Gordon, while existing backers such as 8VC, Silent Ventures, Nova Global, Belief Capital, and SV Angel reaffirmed their support for the company.
Founded in 2024 by Nathan Nwachuku and Maxwell Maduka, Terra Industries develops autonomous defense technologies designed to address evolving security challenges. Its portfolio includes surveillance drones, interceptor drones, unmanned ground vehicles, autonomous sentry towers, and ArtemisOS, a software platform that enables the coordination and management of autonomous systems.
The fresh capital will be used to expand the company’s manufacturing capabilities, strengthen research and development, and grow its international presence. Terra has also announced plans to establish its first overseas office in London while increasing production capacity through its manufacturing operations in Ghana.
The company says demand for autonomous security solutions continues to grow as governments and critical infrastructure operators seek more advanced technologies to protect borders, strategic assets, and public infrastructure. Terra expects the new investment to support faster product deployment across Africa while expanding into markets in the Gulf, South America, and South Asia.
According to the company, it is on track to secure more than $100 million in contracts by the end of 2026, reflecting increasing investor confidence in defense technology innovation emerging from Africa.
The latest funding milestone underscores the growing global interest in African deep-tech startups and highlights Terra Industries’ ambition to become a leading provider of autonomous defense infrastructure for developing markets worldwide.
