Insider Brief
- XTEND has secured a $30 million extension to its $70 million Series B round, led by Aliya Capital Partners and Protego Ventures, to scale U.S. manufacturing and expand global deployment of its AI-powered tactical robotics.
- XTEND’s autonomous systems are already used by defense forces in the U.S., Europe, Singapore, the U.K., and Israel for high-risk missions, combining real-time AI with human oversight to reduce training time and improve safety.
- The company recently opened a U.S. headquarters and drone manufacturing facility in Tampa, Florida, and plans to use the funds to accelerate R&D and integrate deeper AI capabilities across its product line.
XTEND, a developer of autonomous tactical robotics systems used by the U.S. and allied defense forces, has raised a $30 million extension to its $70 million Series B funding round, the company announced.
The latest investment, co-led by Aliya Capital Partners and Protego Ventures, brings new momentum to XTEND’s expansion in the U.S. and abroad, as it looks to scale its manufacturing and AI integration. Other participants in the round include Claltech, Union-Tech Ventures, and the Chartered Group. The company has said the combined backing represents more than capital, citing access to strategic partners and defense customers.
“The successful completion of our Series B financing highlights the surging demand for mission-critical autonomous systems from allied defense and public safety agencies, XTEND CEO Aviv Shapira said in a statement. “The investment will fuel accelerated R&D, scale manufacturing, and global deployment expansion.”
According to the company, XTEND’s autonomous systems are already in use by militaries in the U.S., Europe, Singapore, the U.K., and Israel. The robots are designed to assist in high-risk operations with minimal operator training. The technology combines human oversight with real-time AI to enable deployment in hazardous or remote environments, ranging from defense missions to emergency and humanitarian operations.
The company said it plans to use the new funds to boost U.S. production, accelerate R&D, and expand global deployments. The announcement comes just weeks after XTEND opened its U.S. headquarters and drone manufacturing facility in Tampa, Florida, a move the company said positions it closer to its largest customer base. The new plant is expected to play a central role in delivering systems to the Pentagon and allied agencies.
With this financing, XTEND also gains additional strategic oversight. Ross Kestin, CEO of Aliya Capital Partners, has joined the company’s board. His addition reflects investor interest not just in the robotics platform itself, but in its application to mission-critical sectors facing growing personnel and operational pressures.
“XTEND’s mission—to deliver cutting-edge drone and robotics systems for high-risk, mission-critical environments—aligns directly with our vision of supporting technologies that protect and enhance life,” Kestin oted. “We’re honored to back Aviv and his world-class team and help accelerate the impact of their technology across defense, security, and emergency response sectors.”
Founded in 2021, XTEND has marketed its technology under the concept of “human-guided autonomy,” allowing operators to control robotic systems intuitively, with AI handling dynamic decision-making in complex environments. The company touts fast training cycles and modular system design as key differentiators.
“On our very first visit, we walked into a room with over 50 end users, all being trained on the system,” noted Avi Fischer, Chairman of Clal Industries and Claltech. “What convinced us to invest wasn’t just the tech—it was their feedback. They spoke about how the system has saved lives, how AI-driven training cut learning time by 99%, and how this technology is already changing the battlefield. That’s when we knew—we had to be part of this.”
