Nigerian defence technology startup Terra Industries has raised $11.75 million in a funding round led by U.S. venture capital firm 8VC, as it seeks to expand manufacturing and deploy autonomous security systems across Africa, the company announced.
The round included participation from Valor Equity Partners, Lux Capital, SV Angel, Leblon Capital, Silent Ventures and Nova Global, as well as angel investors including Micky Malka. Alex Moore, a defence partner at 8VC and board director at Palantir, has joined Terra Industries’ board, the company said.
Founded in 2024 by Nathan Nwachuku, 22, and Maxwell Maduka, 24, Terra Industries designs and manufactures autonomous defence systems used to secure critical infrastructure such as power plants, mines and industrial facilities.
The company said the new funding will be used to expand its manufacturing capacity, grow its engineering and software teams, and accelerate deployments across allied African countries.
“Africa is industrialising rapidly, but insecurity and terrorism continue to undermine that progress,” Nwachuku, Terra’s co-founder and chief executive, said in a statement. “Our mission is to give the continent the technological edge to protect its industrial future.”
Terra Industries said its technology is already deployed across multiple African countries, securing infrastructure assets valued at roughly $11 billion. Current deployments include power plants in southern and northern Nigeria, as well as gold and lithium mining operations in Nigeria and Ghana. In June, it won a $1.2 million contract to secure two hydropower plants, edging out a consortium led by an Israeli defense technology firm.
Africa holds about 30% of the world’s critical mineral reserves and invests close to $100 billion annually in infrastructure, but many projects are located in remote or unstable regions, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Sahel, where security challenges remain acute.
To address these challenges, Terra Industries is developing a vertically integrated platform of autonomous defence systems, including drones, unmanned ground vehicles, autonomous sentry towers and maritime surveillance systems. These systems are coordinated through ArtemisOS, the company’s proprietary software platform, which enables real-time threat detection and autonomous mission planning.
While its current contracts focus on infrastructure security, Terra said it is expanding into border security and counterterrorism as regional instability increases.
The company operates a 15,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Abuja and said it plans to expand its engineering and business development presence in San Francisco and London.
Maduka, Terra’s co-founder and chief technology officer, said the company designs and manufactures its systems on the continent using predominantly African engineering talent, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign defence suppliers and retain intellectual property locally.
“Nathan and Maxwell have assembled a strong team to tackle a critical problem,” said Alex Moore of 8VC. “We are excited to support their mission.”