African defence startup Terra Industries raises $11.75m to build homegrown security tech

Terra Industries, a defence technology startup focused on Africa, has successfully raised $11.75 million in seed funding to develop independent security systems across the continent. This funding round is one of the largest seed raises achieved by an African startup, marking Terra’s official exit from stealth mode.

The company was co-founded by Nigerian engineers Nathan Nwachuku and Maxwell Maduka, and it is headquartered in Abuja. Terra develops drones, surveillance systems, and software designed to protect critical infrastructure, including power plants, mines, and other high-risk assets.

The funding round was led by the US venture firm 8VC, which was founded by Joe Lonsdale, a co-founder of Palantir. Alex Moore, a board director at Palantir, has joined the board of Terra, bringing valuable experience from the defence sector to the young company.

How Terra is building security from the ground up

Terra’s rise is significant because security remains one of the greatest threats to economic growth throughout Africa. Terrorism, vandalism, and attacks on infrastructure often hinder investment, disrupt power supply, and raise operational costs for governments and businesses.

Instead of depending on foreign intelligence systems, the company is creating tools that are designed and built locally. The startup claims to protect infrastructure worth around $11 billion across Africa, serving both government agencies and private companies.

A key part of this project is hardware. The startup has built a 15,000-square-foot drone manufacturing facility in Abuja, which it calls the largest of its kind in Africa. From this factory, the company makes long-range and short-range drones, ground surveillance systems, and monitoring towers.

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Terra utilises a software platform known as ArtemisOS to collect and analyse data in real-time. When a threat is detected, the system promptly sends alerts to response teams, enabling them to act quickly. The objective is to monitor critical infrastructure from the air, land, and eventually water.

The company has successfully secured its first federal contract, although the details have not been disclosed. Additionally, it generates revenue from private clients by charging for equipment and ongoing data services. To date, Terra has generated over $2.5 million in commercial revenue.

With the new funding, Terra will expand its manufacturing operations in Africa. It also plans to grow its software and AI teams. The company will open new software offices in San Francisco and London, but all manufacturing will stay on the continent.

As African governments strive to protect power plants, mines, pipelines, and transportation systems, Terra’s growth indicates a shift towards locally developed defence technology, designed, manufactured, and operated within Africa itself.

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