Defence-tech startup Terra Industries closes seed round at $52 million

Nigerian defence-tech startup Terra Industries has raised a total of $52 million in a new seed round, securing Africa's largest such funding round. The investment, led by Norleo Space Investments, Grant Gordon, and existing backers 8VC, Silent Ventures, Nova Global, Belief Capital, and SV Angel, will be used to establish Terra's first international office in London, expand manufacturing capacity, and grow its team in engineering, operations, and business development.

Since its inception in 2024, Terra has raised a combined $33.75 million. Nathan Nwachuku, co-founder and CEO, emphasized the importance of developing autonomous systems tailored to the Global South, stating that the capital will help scale their work and deepen their manufacturing base. The funds will also enable Terra to engage with global defense decision-makers.

The company specializes in autonomous drones, interceptor drones, sentry towers, and unmanned ground vehicles for monitoring critical assets like power plants and mines. These systems, connected via its ArtemisOS software platform, provide real-time threat detection and autonomous mission planning. Terra already protects assets worth around $11 billion across several African countries.

The new capital will facilitate the construction of Terra's 34,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Ghana, expected to begin operations in Q4 2026, and its second factory in Nigeria, set to reach an annual production capacity of 50,000 units by 2028. Beyond Africa, Terra plans to expand manufacturing in the Gulf, South America, and South Asia.