Rhode Island-based defense startup HavocAI has secured $85 million in funding to accelerate production of its unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and expand partnerships with the US military and allied nations. Founded in early 2024, the company has grown to approximately 80 employees and raised nearly $100 million in total capital to date.
The latest funding round attracted a diverse mix of investors, including B Capital, In-Q-Tel, Lockheed Martin, Hanwha, Taiwania Capital, Vanderbilt University, Up Partners, Island Green Capital, and Zero Infinity Partners, with ongoing support from Scout Ventures and Outlander Ventures. HavocAI’s proprietary AI-driven control system allows commercial vessels to be upgraded for autonomous missions, reducing the need for new hull designs while enabling operations with minimal human oversight.
HavocAI also manufactures an in-house USV line, which drew attention during the US Navy’s “Silent Swarm” trials last summer. Following the trials, the Navy purchased a dozen vessels, including the 14-foot Rampage USV priced at approximately $100,000 each, highlighting the platforms’ expendable nature in combat operations. The startup currently supports contracts with the US Army, US Navy, and Defense Innovation Unit, while testing larger autonomous boats such as the 38-foot Seahound, 42-foot Kaikoa, and 100-foot Atlas in Rhode Island.
Strategic collaborations are underway to scale operations further. Louisiana-based Metal Shark plans to integrate HavocAI’s software into its USVs, while Lockheed Martin is working with the startup to accelerate the development of medium-sized naval USVs. Despite being sanctioned by China last year for supplying weapons systems to Taiwan, HavocAI continues to grow as the US Department of Defense increases deployment of autonomous maritime systems across its forces.
