Terra Industries raises total $52 million seed round to expand African defence tech

Terra Industries announced on Monday that it has secured an extra $18 million in financing, taking its seed round total to $52 million. The round includes backing from Joe Lonsdale’s 8VC, Silent Ventures and Nova Global. Founded in 2024, Terra has quickly become a prominent name in African defence technology, developing autonomous systems such as drones and mine-detecting combat vehicles.

The firm projects $100 million in contract awards—including at least one federal deal—and expects to generate revenue in the tens of millions by the end of the year. Earlier funding rounds this year amounted to $11.75 million and $22 million respectively. Terra identifies existing defence contractors from Turkey, China and Western nations as its primary competition and seeks to consolidate the fragmented supply chains that many African states rely on. The fresh capital will fund manufacturing expansion throughout the Global South, the launch of a London office, and future sites in San Francisco and Washington, D.C., to strengthen capital access and U.S. partnerships.