Israeli deep tech startup Shifters, specializing in the development of autonomous robotic teams based on artificial intelligence, raised US$10
2 million in a seed funding round.
The investment was led by Ace Capital Partners, with participation from Aurelius Capital Management, Corner Ventures, Arkin Capital and Fresh Fund.
With this, the company’s total resources reach US$15 million, which will accelerate the development of autonomous ground robots designed to protect soldiers and prevent them from entering risky situations on the battlefield.
Founded in 2023 by Ofer Ballin (CEO) and Assaf Chaprak (CTO), the company is headquartered in Washington, United States, but maintains research and development operations in Israel.
It focuses on supervised ground-based robotic systems that can enter dangerous and contested environments before human troops.
“We created the company because we wanted to contribute to the most noble cause: preserving human lives.
Today there is a big difference between what technology is capable of doing and what still happens on the physical field.
Shifters fills this void”, explained Chaprak.
The Shifters platform is based on supervised autonomy.
This means that teams of robots can operate in complex environments, but always with human supervision.
This approach is considered essential for real-world use, as it allows adaptation to unpredictable terrain and generates confidence on the part of operators.
The main products are TRUST – a family of robust, autonomous quadruped robots with native AI – and RITA, a software suite that controls robots in four layers: locomotion, navigation, perception and action.
“The first person to enter a dangerous environment must increasingly be a robot, not a person,” Ballin said.
“This funding will allow us to accelerate systems in which a single person can intuitively command teams of coordinated robots that adapt to difficult terrain and reduce human exposure before a mission becomes complicated.”
The technology has applications in both the defense and commercial markets.
Robots can be used in reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, perimeter surveillance, threat detection and preparation for high-risk missions.
They carry different equipment, such as cameras, sensors or even armed systems operated by humans.
In the civil sector, they are used for infrastructure inspection, agriculture, mining and search and rescue operations.
“Anywhere it’s dangerous for people to go in first is where we have an advantage,” Ballin said.
“Even if world peace were declared tomorrow, there is a huge demand for robots to replace humans in risky tasks.”
While aerial drones have already transformed many military operations, the terrestrial environment remains much more dangerous.
Missions still require people to cross rubble, tunnels, contaminated areas and areas with no visibility.
The founders of Shifters want to change that by placing coordinated robotic teams as the first to enter these locations.
The company adopts principles of open modular systems, robust APIs and integration with partners, facilitating customizations for different missions.
Investors highlight the team’s experience in operational leadership, defense hardware and technologies, and the potential of the AI “”motion control layer for ground robotics.
Shifters plans to present TRUST for the first time at the US Army pavilion at the Eurosatory fair in France in mid-June.
With the new capital, the company will expand AI capabilities, prepare for scaled production and strengthen its presence in the United States, Middle East and Europe.
Published in 06/05/2026 12h48
Text adapted by AI (Grok) and translated via Google API in the English version. Images from public image libraries or credits in the caption.
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