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NODA AI

Category: AI Infrastructure

An AI-native defense company that develops an open, vendor-agnostic orchestration layer enabling multi-domain autonomous systems to operate collaboratively, transforming siloed platforms into combined combat power. NODA AI was founded in 2024. The company is led by Philong Duong. Based in Austin, United States. Team size: 51-200. Total funding raised: $28.0M. Latest round: Series A ($25.0M, Feb 2026). Key investors include Bessemer Venture Partners, Booz Allen Ventures, Draper Associates, Bloomberg Beta, Alumni Ventures, Outlander, Crosslink Capital.

Founded
2024
Headquarters
Austin, United States
Team size
51-200
Total funding
$28.0M

Value proposition

Enables operators to manage desired mission effects rather than individual platforms through vendor-agnostic orchestration, reducing cognitive load and transforming fragmented, vendor-siloed autonomous systems into coordinated combat power across air, space, surface, subsurface, and ground domains.

Products and solutions

Urza Platform - AI-native strategic orchestration platform for real-time tactics management and execution, LARIA - Weapons and Tactics School for Autonomy, Algorithmic Warfare Repository, Multi-Domain Orchestration Layer, Tactics Repository & Reasoning Engine

Unique value

Created the largest technically integrated defense autonomous systems ecosystem (30+ OEM specific vehicles and control systems from subsurface to space) in less than one year; selected over large incumbents for key DoW multi-domain collaborative autonomy programs; combines deterministic models with frontier AI for adaptive reasoning and real-time tactics handling.

Target customer

U.S. Department of War, Intelligence Community, UK Ministry of Defense, defense prime contractors, and government agencies requiring multi-domain autonomous system coordination

Industries served

Defense & Military, Intelligence Community, Autonomous Systems, Algorithmic Warfare, Multi-Domain Operations, Defense Technology, AI Infrastructure

Technology advantage

Semantic abstraction layer enables integration with existing technologies in minutes rather than months; operates as hardware-agnostic 'cognitive layer' rather than building competing platforms; consolidates functions traditionally distributed across strike cells, operations centers, and battle staffs into a single AI-powered platform.

How they differentiate

Vendor-agnostic orchestration layer operating as independent cognitive software; creates world's deepest defense algorithm repository with 30+ OEM integrations from subsurface to space in under one year; focuses on managing mission effects rather than individual platforms, unlike hardware-centric competitors.

Main competitors

Shield AI, Anduril Industries, BigBear.ai

Key partnerships

U.S. Department of War, UK Ministry of Defense, Accelint, Safran Federal Systems, Striveworks, Booz Allen Hamilton, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Bessemer Venture Partners

Notable customers

U.S. Department of War, UK Ministry of Defense, Booz Allen Hamilton, Huntington Ingalls Industries

Major milestones

Founded in 2024, Built and demoed Urza platform within months of founding, Created one of largest technically integrated defense autonomous systems ecosystems (30+ OEMs) in less than one year, Selected over large incumbents for key Department of War multi-domain collaborative autonomy programs, Raised $3M pre-seed funding in April 2025, Raised $25M Series A led by Bessemer Venture Partners in February 2026

Growth metrics

Selected over large incumbents for key DoW programs; integrated 30+ OEM platforms within nine months of pre-seed round; fastest growing company in investor portfolio

Market positioning

Early-stage AI-native defense startup positioned as specialized orchestration layer for multi-domain autonomous systems; selected over large incumbents for key Department of War programs; fastest growing company in early investor portfolio.

Geographic focus

United States (Department of War, Intelligence Community), United Kingdom (Ministry of Defense)

Patents and IP

No registered patents publicly disclosed as of February 2026

About Philong Duong

15-year United States Marine Corps veteran (Major, Selected Marine Corps Reserves); Former First Federal Product Manager at C3.ai where he led the Defense and Intelligence Products team; Served as joint fires instructor, CH-46E and MV-22B pilot, foreign military advisor, and JTAC in the Marine Corps; Columbia Business School MBA (2017); Bachelor's in Computer Science from Elon University; Founded the nation's first Non-Profit that serves the Gold Star families of the Naval and Marine Corps Aviation community

Official website: