Sky Spy, a dual-use technology firm specializing in compact signal intelligence (SIGINT), has closed an oversubscribed $1.6 million pre-seed funding round. This investment will launch production, expand its team, and accelerate its go-to-market strategy for its autonomous AI-driven systems. The company's technology is designed to operate effectively in congested and contested electromagnetic environments.
Addressing a Critical Intelligence Gap
The conflict in Ukraine has revealed a critical deficiency in modern warfare, where traditional SIGINT systems falter in saturated signal environments. Forces are inundated with thousands of transmitters, rendering legacy platforms ineffective and unable to provide timely, reliable intelligence. This failure creates a significant operational challenge for military units.
As a result, units often revert to riskier visual intelligence methods, leading to an estimated 80% of small, high-priority targets being missed. Sky Spy was founded to address this intelligence gap by restoring critical situational awareness. Its technology provides a reliable alternative to outdated intelligence-gathering techniques.
The Agent 001: A New Breed of Spectrum Hunter
Sky Spy's flagship product, Agent 001, is a lightweight payload that transforms small drones into autonomous spectrum hunters. Weighing just over 500 grams, it combines radio frequency intelligence with visual confirmation to detect and geolocate emitters in real time. This provides forces with immediately actionable intelligence.
The system's effectiveness was validated during frontline testing with military units in Ukraine, one of the world's most challenging electromagnetic landscapes. Agent 001 successfully identified hostile emitters like drone control stations and jammers, earning praise from soldiers. Its performance under jamming and in GPS-denied conditions highlights its robust design.
Unlike larger systems, Agent 001 performs its entire signal-processing pipeline onboard, eliminating the need for external computing. This self-contained capability allows for immediate response and seamless integration with existing command infrastructures. Its affordability makes advanced SIGINT capabilities accessible to a wider range of customers.
A Mission-Driven Team and Strategic Vision
The company was founded by a team with Ukrainian origins, bringing firsthand operational experience from combat zones to their technical work. Now operating across the US and EU, Sky Spy’s multinational team is uniquely positioned to understand the importance of reliable intelligence. This background provides powerful motivation for their mission-focused development.
CEO Arsenii Hurtavtsov emphasized the company's core mission, stating their technology was built by people who have seen how unreliable intelligence costs lives. "Our mission is simple: to give forces real-time awareness in the spectrum," he said. "Because the side that dominates the spectrum dominates the war."
Investor Confidence and Market Potential
The pre-seed round was co-led by Expeditions Fund and Superangel, with participation from Freedom Fund, Sunfish Partners, and others. This diverse investor group signals strong confidence in Sky Spy's solution to a critical defense challenge. The funding will support the company's international expansion and technology scaling.
Andrzej Rościszewski of Expeditions Fund noted that Sky Spy's product addresses a pressing battlefield problem, praising the team's credentials and successful end-user validation. Jaan Kokk of Superangel highlighted the team's deep technical talent and operational insight. Both investors see the company delivering capabilities that work where it matters.
With this new funding, Sky Spy is poised to scale its innovative SIGINT technology, offering a vital capability in complex signal environments. The successful validation of Agent 001 and strong investor support underscore the urgent need for advanced, autonomous intelligence platforms. The company's expansion marks a significant step forward in battlefield awareness.