Arondite, the UK-based defence technology company, today announced its plan to invest more than £100 million over the next five years to accelerate the defence AI and autonomy capabilities of the UK and its allies.
The commitment, announced alongside Minister for Veterans and People Alistair Carns DSO OBE MC MP at the launch of Arondite’s new Farringdon headquarters, will focus on high-impact initiatives designed to accelerate the integration and adoption of world-leading British technology across the defence sector.
Arondite’s investment will expand R&D, advance critical defence technology development, create highly skilled UK jobs, and enhance cross-platform interoperability ensuring the UK and its allies can use the best available defence systems together.
The launch of their new headquarters comes as Arondite continues to expand rapidly following a $12.5m seed round in May 2025. The company will have tripled headcount during 2025, and plans to triple it again during 2026. A range of talent initiatives with leading universities are also being explored, designed to encourage UK graduates to join the growing UK defence technology sector.
Backed by support from the Ministry of Defence, the investment will focus on:
- Research & development in Defence AI, autonomous systems interoperability and human-machine teaming.
- Defence technology development to move breakthroughs from lab to the frontline faster.
- UK jobs and skills, building a talent pipeline in software, AI research, robotics and systems engineering.
- SME ecosystem initiatives enabling more rapid capability integration and testing across UK and European platforms and sensors.
Arondite will work with partners from across the UK defence ecosystem to promote open, modular approaches that enable any platform, sensor, or decision-support tool to work together securely.
Will Blyth, Co-founder and CEO of Arondite, said: “We’re proud to announce our plans to invest in delivering new defence capabilities for the UK and its allies. We believe the UK is a fantastic place to build and grow a global defence business. When it comes to the rapid changes underway in the fields of AI and autonomous systems, it’s vital that the UK is able adapt fast and lead the way. We’re proud to work with the Ministry of Defence to help them do exactly this so that our Armed Forces are ready for any challenge they may face in the years ahead.”
Alistair Carns DSO OBE MC MP, Minister for Veterans and People, said: "Arondite's expansion represents exactly the kind of British innovation and entrepreneurship that exemplifies Defence as an engine for growth - combining cutting-edge AI technology with job creation and sovereign capability development. As outlined in the SDR, we are creating a new partnership with business and making it easier for SMEs to do business with Defence. Through our Defence Industrial Strategy, we're backing brilliant British companies like veteran-founded Arondite to scale up, create careers, and keep our nation secure in an increasingly complex world."
The investment underscores Arondite’s belief in the power of British innovation and collaboration. By enabling faster integration, deeper partnerships, and broader access to cutting-edge defence technologies, Arondite is helping to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of global defence innovation.