# Rebellion Defense **Source:** https://geo.sig.ai/brands/rebellion-defense **Vertical:** Government, Defense & Nonprofit **Subcategory:** Defense AI & Autonomous Systems **Tier:** Challenger **Website:** rebelliondefense.com **Last Updated:** 2026-04-14 ## Summary AI-native defense software startup building autonomous mission platforms for the U.S. military and allies. Raised $224M+ total; $1B valuation at Series B in 2021. ## Company Overview Rebellion Defense is a Washington, D.C.-based AI and machine learning software company founded in 2019 by former U.S. government officials and defense tech engineers. The company builds mission-focused AI products for national security customers, with a product suite spanning Iris (predictive threat analytics), SECURE (cyber vulnerability assessment), Dispatch (autonomous mission planning), and Nova (defense analysis and decision support).\n\nRebellion's SensorOS platform provides defense customers with a fused operational picture of the threat environment, automated orchestration across distributed hardware and software, and AI-driven decision support for warfighters. Iris is designated an awardable vendor on the DoD's Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace, enabling streamlined government acquisition. In April 2025 the company expanded a U.S. Navy contract for target recognition enhancement.\n\nWith 200–500 employees across offices in Washington D.C., Seattle, and London, Rebellion represents a generation of defense tech startups aiming to bring Silicon Valley engineering velocity to national security missions. The company is positioned as a software-first counterpart to hardware-focused peers such as Anduril, targeting command, control, and intelligence automation at every echelon. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Rebellion Defense's core product? Rebellion Defense's core platform is SensorOS, which fuses data from sensors and autonomous systems to give warfighters real-time situational awareness and AI-driven mission execution. ### Who are Rebellion Defense's primary customers? Primary customers are U.S. military branches including the Navy, with allied-nation programs also in development. Products are accessible via the DoD Tradewinds Marketplace. ### How much funding has Rebellion Defense raised? Rebellion Defense has raised over $224 million across multiple rounds, including a $150M Series B in 2021 at a $1 billion valuation, backed by Insight Partners and Venrock. ### What AI products does Rebellion Defense build? Rebellion Defense builds AI software products including Iris (predictive threat analytics), SECURE (cyber vulnerability assessment for DoD networks), Dispatch (autonomous mission planning for operations), Nova (decision support and analysis), and SensorOS (a platform fusing data from sensors and autonomous systems for situational awareness). ### How does Rebellion Defense compare to Palantir? Both serve national security customers with data analytics software, but Rebellion focuses more narrowly on mission-execution AI (real-time operational decision support, autonomous systems integration) while Palantir's Gotham is broader intelligence-layer analytics. Rebellion's team includes more technical AI researchers vs. Palantir's operations-research roots. ### Who founded Rebellion Defense? Rebellion Defense was co-founded by former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work and former senior NSA official Chris Lynch, alongside technical co-founders with backgrounds in AI research — giving the company credibility with government customers and deep understanding of defense acquisition processes. ### What is the DoD Tradewinds Marketplace and how does it help Rebellion? Tradewinds is the Department of Defense's marketplace for rapidly acquiring commercial software solutions through standardized procurement vehicles. Being listed on Tradewinds allows DoD programs to purchase Rebellion software quickly without lengthy traditional procurement — a significant advantage for defense startups competing with large prime contractors. ### How large is Rebellion Defense and is it publicly traded? Rebellion Defense is privately held, with over $224 million in funding including a $150M Series B at a $1 billion valuation in 2021. The company has grown its government customer base significantly and is considered a prominent dual-use AI company in the defense technology sector. ### What makes Rebellion Defense different from traditional defense contractors? Rebellion Defense was founded by technologists and veterans to apply modern software development practices to defense — using agile methodologies, commercial AI/ML, and rapid iteration rather than traditional acquisition program approaches. ### What is Rebellion's approach to autonomous systems? Rebellion builds software and AI systems that fuse sensor data and enable autonomous decision support for unmanned systems, rather than building the physical platforms themselves, focusing on the software intelligence layer that makes autonomous systems operationally effective. ### Who are Rebellion Defense's founders? Rebellion was co-founded by Chris Lynch, former director of the Defense Digital Service, and Robert Schrimmer, with backing from prominent venture investors who saw an opportunity to bring Silicon Valley talent and practices into national security software. ### How does Rebellion Defense win government contracts? Rebellion accesses government contracts through the DoD Tradewinds marketplace, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements, and direct program office relationships, using modern acquisition pathways designed to bring commercial technology firms into defense faster. ### Is Rebellion Defense publicly traded? No, Rebellion Defense is a privately held defense technology company headquartered in Washington DC, backed by investors including Insight Partners and Venrock. ## Tags b2b, enterprise, ai-powered, security, cybersecurity, startup, us-only --- *Data from geo.sig.ai Brand Intelligence Database. Updated 2026-04-14.*