Smack Technologies, a defense technology startup, has raised $61 million in a Series B round. The Austin, Texas-based company plans to use the new capital to expand its main AI product, Omega, and build a new wearable system called Alpha. The company develops AI tools for military teams that need fast decisions in difficult battlefield conditions.
The new round comes only months after Smack raised $32 million in combined seed and Series A capital. The fresh deal shows that investors see a large chance for AI tools made for defense work. The company has also seen a rise in interest from U.S. military groups after the Pentagon faced a major dispute with AI company Anthropic.
Smack has a clear goal. It wants to help military teams make better decisions in less time. Its founders believe current military systems can take too long to process large amounts of data. Their software aims to bring data from many sources into one place so military users can assess a situation and choose a response faster.
A New Chapter for Defense AI
Smack was founded in 2024 by Andy Markoff and Clint Alanis, both former Marine special operators. Their military experience shaped the company’s focus on battlefield decisions. Rather than create a general AI tool for office work, Smack wants to create models made for national security and military use.
The company first drew major attention in March 2026, when it announced $32 million in seed and Series A capital. Geodesic Capital and Costanoa Ventures led the Series A, while Point72 Ventures led the seed round. Other investors also took part.
At that time, Smack said it wanted to build what it called a frontier AI lab for national security. Its models focus on military data and battlefield problems rather than the broad data used by large consumer AI systems.
The new $61 million round gives the startup much more capital to move that idea forward.
Omega Is at the Center
Omega is Smack’s main AI platform. One of its key uses is the military fires-planning process. In simple terms, the system helps military teams decide how to use available resources when a battlefield changes quickly.
Traditional planning can require a large amount of human effort. Teams must review information, assess risks, check available assets and adjust plans as new facts appear. Smack wants Omega to shorten that process.
The company has already tested its system with the U.S. Marine Corps. A previous prototype cut a process that could take months to about 15 minutes, according to Reuters. That result helped show why the military may see value in a specialized AI system.
Omega uses reinforcement learning and real-time computer vision. These methods allow the system to assess new information and adjust its output as conditions change. The aim is not simply to give a written answer. It is to help military users assess a complex situation at a much faster pace.
Alpha Brings AI to the Battlefield
The new capital will also support Alpha, a wearable AI display that Smack plans to develop.
Alpha has a very different purpose from Omega. Omega focuses more on command and planning work. Alpha is designed for users who operate closer to the battlefield. The device is a flexible forearm display that could replace makeshift maps placed on a user’s arm.
This idea reflects a major challenge for military units. A soldier or operator may need information while away from a desk or command center. A phone or laptop may not be practical in such conditions. A wearable display could place key information closer to the user without the need for a large screen.
Smack has not presented Alpha as a normal consumer wearable. Its purpose is tied to military work and difficult field conditions. The company wants the device to connect AI tools with people who need useful information in places where normal computer systems may not work well.
Pentagon Pressure Creates a New Opportunity
The timing of the new round is important. In March, the Pentagon labeled Anthropic a supply-chain risk. That move led to a major dispute between the U.S. Defense Department and the AI company. It also pushed military groups to seek more AI suppliers.
This shift has helped smaller defense AI startups such as Smack. Military officials began to show more interest in companies that could provide alternatives to large AI vendors.
Markoff said the Pentagon wanted more companies, more product demonstrations and faster movement toward real military use. Smack saw this change directly. The company had already built a Marine Corps prototype, but the path to full production had faced delays.
After the dispute with Anthropic, that pace changed.
The Marine Corps began discussions about how fast Smack could move its system into production. The company said the target shifted toward combat use in 2026 rather than a much later date. That change could bring its technology to military users more than a year sooner than its earlier plan.
Two Seven-Figure Contracts
Smack also secured two seven-figure prototype contracts in July. The work involves the Joint Fires Network and the Marine Corps Warfighting Lab. These contracts give the company a chance to test its technology in real military programs and show whether its systems can meet operational needs.
Such contracts matter a lot for a young defense startup. Government work can take a long time to secure, and military systems often face strict technical and security requirements. A successful prototype can help a startup move toward larger contracts.
Smack already has contracts with the Navy and Air Force as well. The company has also seen interest from U.S. Special Operations Command and other military groups.
Smack Is Growing Fast
The company itself has also grown at a rapid pace. Smack had 19 employees in April. That number has since reached 51. The startup aims to have 85 employees by the end of the year.
That growth reflects the scale of the task ahead. Building military AI requires software experts, AI researchers, engineers and people with deep knowledge of defense operations. Smack wants to build a team that can develop its models while also meeting the needs of military customers.
The $61 million round gives the company more room to hire people and expand its technology.
Why Specialized Military AI Matters
Large AI models such as ChatGPT and Claude can handle many general tasks. But military work can require a very different type of system.
A battlefield can have limited communication, large amounts of sensor data and fast changes. Military users may also need strict control over data and the systems that process it. Smack believes a model built for these conditions can offer more value than a general AI product.
Its founders also bring direct military experience. That background helps the company focus on problems that may not be obvious to a typical software team. The aim is to create tools that fit real military workflows rather than force military users to change their work around a general-purpose AI product.
A Large Test Lies Ahead
Despite the strong investor support, Smack still has major work ahead. A military AI system must prove that it can work with real data, meet security rules and perform well under difficult conditions.
The company must also move from prototypes to products that military units can use at scale. That step can be much harder than a successful test.
The new capital gives Smack a strong financial base for this next phase. Omega has already shown promise through its Marine Corps work, while Alpha gives the company another path toward battlefield use.
The Road Ahead for Smack
The $61 million Series B round puts Smack Technologies in a strong position within the fast-growing defense AI sector. Its total capital now includes the earlier $32 million seed and Series A round plus the new $61 million deal.
The company has a clear product plan. Omega aims to help military teams make faster decisions, while Alpha aims to place AI-based information closer to users in the field.
The Pentagon’s push for more AI suppliers has also created a useful opening for smaller defense companies. Smack now has military contracts, a growing team, a tested product and fresh capital.
Its next challenge is simple but difficult: turn that early promise into reliable systems that military users can trust. If it succeeds, Smack could become one of the more important young companies in the defense AI market.
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