25 YC Defense Startups (Industrials)

25 YC companies fall under Defense, YC's Industrials subcategory, across every batch since 2005. Each row shows the one-liner, batch, HQ and status, and links to a reconstruction of the company's YC application in the real form.

Companies
25
Top locations
San Francisco, Los Angeles and Boston
25 reconstructed applications

Read the YC application of all 25 companies

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The first 25 companies, top companies first

1
9 Mothers
9 MothersAI mission systems
Spring 2026Active
2
AICE
AICESubmarine drones for defense
Spring 2026San Francisco, CAActive
3
Albacore Inc.
Albacore Inc.Drone submarines
Summer 2025Philadelphia, PAActive
4
ApolloShield
ApolloShieldApolloShield is a system that detects unwanted drones and drives them…
Summer 2016Tel Aviv-Yafo, Tel Aviv District, IsraelActive
7
DAIVIN!
DAIVIN!Tankless Dive Gear - Breath Autonomy at Sea, Land & Space
Winter 2026San Francisco, CAActive
8
Deepnight
DeepnightBuilding The Next Generation of Night Vision Devices
Winter 2024San Francisco, CAActive
9
Earendil Robotics
Earendil RoboticsDrone swarm defence at a small-unit level
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
10
Edgerun
EdgerunMilitary exoskeletons
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive

That is 10 of 25.

Every company below has its YC application reconstructed in YC Insights. Create a free account to read them all.

Read all 25 applications
11
Greypoint Industries
Greypoint IndustriesBuilding drone swarms that hunt hidden enemies.
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
12
GUILD
GUILDAI-Native Defense Contractor
Summer 2026New York City, NYActive
14
Hop Aero
Hop AeroRocket cargo delivery to contested environments
Summer 2026Los Angeles, CAActive
15
Icarus
IcarusStratospheric birds for defense
Fall 2025Los Angeles, CAActive
16
IMPACT Drones
IMPACT DronesAir Defense as a Service for Civilian Infrastructure.
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
17
Isengard Industries Inc
Isengard Industries IncMass-produced AI strike systems and Counter-UAS
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive
18
Maquoketa Research
Maquoketa ResearchThe intelligence layer for drones
Spring 2026San Francisco, CAActive
19
Mass Magnetics
Mass MagneticsUSA-made magnetics for robotics and defense.
Summer 2026Boston, MAActive
20
Null Labs
Null LabsEnd-to-end Simulation for Defense Autonomy
Fall 2025San Francisco, CAActive
22
Seeing Systems
Seeing SystemsModular AI-Commanded Drones for Defence
Winter 2026London, United KingdomActive
23
Surtr Defense Systems
Surtr Defense SystemsThe open operating system for counter-UAS
Spring 2026San Francisco, CAActive
24
Tenet Industries
Tenet IndustriesLow-cost, mass-produced strike drones
Spring 2026San Francisco, CAActive
25
Vernius Systems, Inc.
Vernius Systems, Inc.Mass-deployable radars for air defense
Summer 2026San Francisco, CAActive

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About this list

This list is part of Round Funded, an investor database and outreach platform for founders. It covers 60,000+ active VCs, angels, family offices and accelerators with verified contacts, lets you send pitches from your own Gmail, and includes a free Data Room for your raise.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Y Combinator companies are in Defense (Industrials)?

This directory lists 25 YC companies in Defense (Industrials), out of 6,207 across every batch since 2005. The count updates when the directory is refreshed, and every one of them is on this page with a link to its public profile.

Are the YC applications on these pages real?

No. YC keeps submitted applications private. Every application linked from this list is a reconstruction: the real YC form questions, answered from the company's public data. The Company section is free on each page; the rest opens in YC Insights.

How do I use this list when applying to YC?

Pick five companies on this page whose product is closest to yours, read their reconstructed applications side by side in YC Insights, and note how each answers the same question. Then write your own answers to that standard.

Where does this data come from?

From YC's public company directory, refreshed by batch, with each company's status, industry and location as YC reports them. Round Funded adds the reconstructed application and the founder profiles; nothing private is published.

What is Round Funded?

Round Funded is an investor database and outreach platform for startup founders. It lists 60,000+ active investors with verified contacts, filtered to recent investment activity, and lets founders send personalized pitches from their own Gmail, track replies, and share a free Data Room. Round+ starts at $99 per month with a 3-day trial.