The Israeli company develops AI-based ground robotic teams for security and civilian missions in complex environments. The seed round was led by Ace Capital Partners and brings the company's total funding to $15 million.
Israeli company Shifters, which develops autonomous ground robots based on artificial intelligence, announced a $10.2 million seed round. The round was led by Ace Capital Partners, with participation from Aurelius Capital Management, Corner Ventures, Arkin Capital and Fresh Fund. The round brings the company's total funding to $15 million.
Shifters was founded in 2023 by Ofer Balin, the company's CEO, and Assaf Chaprak, VP of Technology. The company currently employs about 20 employees in Israel, the US, and Europe, and says it is recruiting in the fields of AI, Embedded, and Mechatronics.
Robots before humans
The company develops robotic systems designed to operate in environments where movement is dangerous, difficult or unpredictable. Among the security applications the company cites: reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, perimeter defense and high-risk missions. On the civilian side, it cites infrastructure inspections, agriculture, mining and search and rescue.
The main idea is not just a single robot moving around the field, but teams of ground robots that can operate in coordination. According to the company, the systems should allow one operator to direct several robots, with some decisions being made autonomously in the field, depending on the mission and conditions.
"The first person to enter a dangerous environment should be a robot, not a human," said Ofer Balin, CEO and co-founder of Shifters. According to him, the funding will allow the company to accelerate the development of systems, including coordinated robotic teams that can be operated intuitively and adapted to complex ground environments.
The challenge: coordinating multiple robots
Assaf Chaprak, CTO and co-founder of Shifters, emphasized that the challenge is not limited to the movement of a robot in the field. He said, "The more complex problem is enabling multiple robots to understand the operator's intent, coordinate with each other, and perform tasks in unpredictable environments."
The company notes that it operates according to MOSA principles, meaning an open and modular systems approach, with the aim of enabling the integration of dedicated payloads, sensors and different configurations according to mission. Such an approach is particularly important in the defense market, where customers often seek to adapt existing platforms to changing needs rather than being locked into one closed system.
The company says it has already conducted demonstrations with security and defense agencies. The new funding is intended to expand Agentic AI's capabilities, prepare for commercial production, and scale operations in the US, Europe, and the Middle East.
Part of the security autonomy trend
Shifters' recruitment fits into a broader trend in the defense industry: a shift from remotely controlled vehicles to systems that can perform some of their missions autonomously, while maintaining human control at the level of guidance and supervision. Drones have already changed the way forces gather information from the air, and now many companies are trying to bring similar capabilities to the ground, where terrain conditions are more complex and navigation is more difficult.
Shimon Tzantsiper, a partner at Ace Capital Partners, said that the fund sees Shifters as a company operating in the field of dual-use autonomy, and that the company is facing one of the most difficult challenges in the field: robotic navigation and coordination in complex environments that are not known in advance.
Shifters also participates in the Next October program, in which it commemorates Margarita Gosek, who was murdered at the Nova party on October 7.
Short FAQ:
What is Shifters developing?
Shifters develops AI-based autonomous ground robotic systems, designed to operate in teams and in complex environments.
How much money did the company raise?
The company raised $10.2 million in a Seed round, bringing its total funding to $15 million.
Who led the round?
The round was led by Ace Capital Partners, alongside other investors including Aurelius Capital Management, Corner Ventures, Arkin Capital, and Fresh Fund.
What areas is the technology intended for?
The company cites security applications such as reconnaissance and intelligence gathering, alongside civilian applications such as infrastructure testing, mining, agriculture, and search and rescue.
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