

Startup · Portugal
Tekever
HQ Lisbon, PortugalFounded 2001
Unmanned aerial systems for wide-area surveillance and intelligence.
- Sep 23, 2026News (high significance)Tech StartupsAI drone startup Tekever raises $580M at $6.4B valuation as Europe ramps up defense tech spending
- Sep 16, 2026CompanyTEKEVERTEKEVER signs up to £400 million CORVUS contract to deliver next-generation battlefield intelligence capability to the British Army
- Sep 14, 2026NewsAerospace ManufacturingDefence startup Isembard opens major London factory to scale production
- Jul 27, 2026NewsBreaking DefenseUK selects Tekever AR5 surveillance drones to succeed Watchkeeper
- Jun 23, 2026CompanyTEKEVERTEKEVER Wins Contract to Strengthen Maritime Surveillance in Portugal
Funding4 rounds · ~$677M
- Equity raised
- ~$677M
- Latest
- $580MSeries D · Sep 23, 2026
- Last valuation
- $6.40B?Basis not stated · Series D · Sep 23, 2026
| Announced | Stage | Valuation | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2025 | Undisclosed | $1.32B | Basis not stated |
| Sep 23, 2026 | Series D | $6.40B | Basis not stated |
| Announced | Stage | Amount | Valuation | Lead investors | Other investors | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 23, 2026 | Series D | $580M | $6.40B? | Baillie Gifford, UC Investments | Crescent Cove Advisors, Iberis Capital, Merlyn Advisors, Ventura Capital | Confirmed |
| May 7, 2025 | Undisclosed | Undisclosed | $1.32B? | Ventura Capital | Baillie Gifford, Crescent Cove Advisors, NATO Innovation Fund | Confirmed |
| Nov 20, 2024 | Series B | $74.0M | — | Baillie Gifford, NATO Innovation Fund | Cedrus Capital, Crescent Cove Advisors, Iberis Semper, National Security Strategic Investment Fund | Confirmed |
| Jan 24, 2022 | Series A | ~$22.6M | — | Ventura Capital | — | Reported |
- Series DLed by Baillie Gifford, UC InvestmentsWith Crescent Cove Advisors, Iberis Capital, Merlyn Advisors, Ventura CapitalValuation $6.40B?Confirmed$580MSep 23, 2026
- UndisclosedMay 7, 2025
- Series BLed by Baillie Gifford, NATO Innovation FundWith Cedrus Capital, Crescent Cove Advisors, Iberis Semper, National Security Strategic Investment FundConfirmed$74.0MNov 20, 2024
- Series ALed by Ventura Capital~$22.6MJan 24, 2022
Raised counts equity rounds; debt, secondary sales and grants are totaled separately. Amounts in other currencies are converted at the announcement month's average rate. A ~ marks an estimated or converted amount.
Systems4
Newest unveiled first. Open a system for its milestone timeline, components and sources.
Capabilities3
| Technology | Role | Maturity | TRL | Notes | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISR and targeting | Developer | — | — | classify_sectors run 37, haiku, taxonomy 2026-10-18b: Unmanned aerial systems for wide-area surveillance and intelligence, a military and security ISR use, though customers are not named. | Reported |
| Uncrewed aircraft | Developer | — | — | — | Reported |
| Uncrewed systems | Developer | — | — | classify_sectors run 37, haiku, taxonomy 2026-10-18b: Unmanned aerial systems for wide-area surveillance and intelligence, a military and security ISR use, though customers are not named. | Reported |
- Developerclassify_sectors run 37, haiku, taxonomy 2026-10-18b: Unmanned aerial systems for wide-area surveillance and intelligence, a military and security ISR use, though customers are not named.—Reported
- Developerclassify_sectors run 37, haiku, taxonomy 2026-10-18b: Unmanned aerial systems for wide-area surveillance and intelligence, a military and security ISR use, though customers are not named.—Reported
Maturity and TRL describe this organization's work; the field-wide maturity is on each technology's page.
Supply Chain4 customers
Customers4
| Customer | Supplies | Notes | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Maritime Authority (Portugal) | — | AR3 EVO supply, training and support contract; operation by authority personnel after training. | Reported |
| Phoenix Heli-Flight | — | AR3 technology for Phoenix’s Canadian wildfire-detection services contract; direct government customer not inferred. | Reported |
| Portuguese Air Force | — | AR5 system, ground control station, ATLAS mission system and operator training contracted. Exact contract date not provided in usable article text. | Reported |
| UK Ministry of Defence | — | CORVUS AR5 supply contract for British Army; value up to£400m, not inferred paid or delivered. | Reported |
- AR3 EVO supply, training and support contract; operation by authority personnel after training.
- AR3 technology for Phoenix’s Canadian wildfire-detection services contract; direct government customer not inferred.
- AR5 system, ground control station, ATLAS mission system and operator training contracted. Exact contract date not provided in usable article text.
- CORVUS AR5 supply contract for British Army; value up to£400m, not inferred paid or delivered.
People1
| Person | Role |
|---|---|
| Ricardo Mendes | Co-Founder |
Sources17
Show all 17 sources and supporting evidence
Profile3
- 1
- 2DatabaseTekever — hq city
Supports Organization · country, Organization · hq city
“Location:Lisboa,Lisboa,Portugal”
- 3
Systems2
- 4
- 5
Tekever · Supports System
“TEKEVER has announced that its AR3 drone platform has successfully completed over 10,000 operational flight hours in Ukraine”
Technologies1
- 6
Funding6
- 7
TEKEVER · Sep 23, 2026 · Supports Funding round · amount, Funding round · post money valuation usd, Organization · ownership
“TEKEVER raises US$580 million reaching US$6.4 billion valuation in Series D round led by UC Investments and Baillie Gifford”
- 8
Tekever · May 7, 2025 · Supports Funding round
“Fully committed by existing investors, including round leader Ventura Capital, Baillie Gifford, the NATO Innovation Fund (NIF), Iberis Capital and Crescent Cove”
- 9
TechCrunch · Nov 20, 2024 · Supports Funding round
“has raised €70 million ($74 million)”
- 10
Tekever · Nov 20, 2024 · Supports Funding round · amount
“has raised 70 Million Euros in a funding round led by Baillie Gifford”
- 11
TechCrunch · Jan 24, 2022 · Supports Funding round · amount
“has raised €20 million (just under $23 million at today’s rates). Ventura Capital led the round, with participation from Iberis Capital”
- 12
Resilience Media · Supports Funding round · post money valuation usd
“which was valued at just $1.32 billion after a raise in May 2025”
Supply chain4
- 13
TEKEVER · Sep 16, 2026 · Supports Supply relationship
“signed a contract worth up to £400 million with the UK Ministry of Defence under Project CORVUS”
- 14
TEKEVER · Jun 23, 2026 · Supports Supply relationship
“TEKEVER’s first contract with the National Maritime Authority provides for the supply of a system based on AR3 EVO platforms.”
- 15
TEKEVER · Jun 16, 2026 · Supports Supply relationship
“Phoenix Heli-Flight will use TEKEVER’s AR3 uncrewed aerial system”
- 16
TEKEVER · Supports Supply relationship
“has signed a contract with the Portuguese Air Force”
People1
- 17
TechRound · Supports Role
“Meet Ricardo Mendes, Co-founder & CEO at TEKEVER.”
Each fact on this page is attached to the sources that support it. Archived copies are linked when we keep one.
