Watchtower Labs raises $35M seed to build AI-driven logistics simulation for US defense
Watchtower Labs, incubated by Shield Capital, announced its emergence from stealth with a $35 million seed round co‑led by Shield and Conviction, and joined by In‑Q‑Tel and Founders Fund. CEO Akhil Iyer, a former Marine special‑operations officer, says the startup’s software combines large language models with in‑house discrete‑event simulation to let defense planners ask natural‑language…
Key points
- Watchtower Labs secured $35 million seed funding from Shield, Conviction, In‑Q‑Tel and Founders Fund
- The startup’s platform uses LLMs and discrete‑event simulation to generate logistics scenario forecasts for US defense planners
- Early prototype contracts are in place with major operational commands and several unnamed pilot customers
The company, founded with former fighter pilot Raj Shah, already has early prototype contracts with major operational commands and several unnamed pilot customers. Its team of about 30 engineers and analysts is spread across the Bay Area, Hawaii, Seattle and Washington, D.C. While the product leverages the latest AI advances, Iyer stresses it is not a pure AI play and that existing defense tools like Anduril or Palantir remain complementary. Investors and the startup expect 2027 to be a critical year for expanding pilots and proving the technology’s value amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Watchtower, which uses AI and simulation software to help the US Armed Forces make logistical decisions, emerges from stealth with a $35M seed
upstartsmedia.com · 21 October 2026
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