Summary:
$12 million raised in Series A funding for Edgerunner AI.
Domain-specific AI agents designed for military decision-making.
Offline functionality ensures no internet connection is required.
Data privacy and cost efficiency are prioritized in their technology.
Strong traction with partnerships and recognition in the military sector.
Edgerunner AI, a Seattle-based startup, has successfully raised $12 million in a Series A funding round to enhance military operations through generative AI technology. This funding comes just months after their initial $5.5 million seed round.
The Tech
EdgeRunner focuses on creating domain-specific AI agents that assist military personnel in making informed decisions in the field. Key features include:
- Offline functionality: The technology operates entirely on-device without requiring an internet connection.
- Tailored for military roles: It is specifically designed for logistics and maintenance tasks.
- Data privacy and cost efficiency: The AI agents are trained on military doctrine using open-source LLMs, aiming to reduce latency, eliminate cloud costs, and ensure data privacy.
- Efficient model compression: EdgeRunner’s technology can compress large models and run them on widely available hardware, such as Intel chips.
The Founders
Tyler Xuan Saltsman, CEO and co-founder, has an extensive background as an Army officer and logistician, later working with Amazon Web Services and Stability AI. His co-founder, Colton Malkerson, previously led enterprise sales at Stability and has experience with AWS and the U.S. government.
The Investors
The startup is backed by notable firms including Madrona, Four Rivers Group, HP Tech Ventures, and Alumni Ventures. Matt McIlwain from Madrona highlighted that EdgeRunner’s approach is highly intentional and designed to deliver value in challenging conditions.
The Traction
The 21-member team has made significant strides:
- Signed an R&D agreement with the Air Force Research Laboratory.
- Designated as an “Awardable” vendor for the Department of Defense.
- Collaborating with the Rhode Island and Connecticut National Guards, and formed a new partnership with Second Front.
- Recognized on CB Insights’ AI 100 list of top AI startups and featured at Intel Vision.
The Future
While currently focused on military applications, Edgerunner has broader aspirations. As Xuan Saltsman stated, “We’re building the J.A.R.V.I.S. to your Ironman, but we’re starting with the war fighters first, because they need it.”
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