MRRPhysical AI
intelligence
← Company intelligence

Robot maker · registered

TEKEVER

Defense marketsecuritymarineinspectionCurated record
tekever.com

Europe's leading independent maritime-surveillance UAS maker and its newest defence-tech unicorn: designs and builds its own AR3 (VTOL, 25 kg) and AR5 (170 kg, 20 h endurance) fixed-wing drones plus the larger ARX mothership that coordinates smaller aircraft; sells AI-driven 'Intelligence-as-a-Service' with onboard autonomy for maritime patrol, border surveillance and battlefield ISR; 10,000+ combat flight hours with Ukrainian forces under the UK MoD partnership.

HeadquartersLisbon, PT
Founded2001
Defense funding$75M
Team501-1000
Deployments5
Open roles0
01

Company overview

Identity and operating footprint

Company typeRobot maker
Market segmentDefense
StageGrowth
FoundersRicardo Mendes (Co-founder & CEO), Pedro Sinogas (Co-founder)
Regions servedEurope, North America, Southeast Asia
Countries deployedGB, PT, UA, FR
Service footprintNot listed
Last reviewed2026-07-05
MX

Robot models

Specifications remain vendor-claimed

Machinesecurity

AR3

  • 3.5 m wingspan, 25 kg, VTOL launch/recovery from ships and unprepared terrain

    vendor-stated specs for the ship-deployable VTOL ISR drone

    Claim source
Machineamr

AR3 EVO

  • No specifications on file.
Machinesecurity

AR5

  • 7 m wingspan, 170 kg MTOW, up to 20 h endurance; tactical maritime/land ISR

    vendor-stated specs for the flagship tactical UAS

    Claim source
DP

Deployment log

Announced and cited only

AnnouncedCustomerSiteCountryCountEvidence
2026-06-23Portuguese National Maritime Authority (AMN)coastal surveillancePTNot disclosedAnnouncement
2025-05-08Armed Forces of Ukraine (via UK MoD partnership)battlefield ISR operationsUANot disclosedAnnouncement
2025-05-08European Maritime Safety Agencymaritime surveillance-as-a-service over European watersPTNot disclosedAnnouncement
2025-05-06UK Ministry of Defence / Ukrainian forcesfrontline ISR drone operations (AR3/AR5, 10,000+ combat flight hours)UANot disclosedAnnouncement
2025-05-06United Kingdom (OVERMATCH programme)GBP 400M five-year UK defence UAS production programmeGBNot disclosedAnnouncement
CA

Funding history

Publicly announced rounds

Investors on recordNATO Innovation FundBaillie GiffordVentura CapitalNational Security Strategic Investment FundCedrus CapitalIberis SemperCrescent Cove Advisors
TL

Company timeline

Milestones and announcements

2025-06-01£400M five-year UK investment programme announced to scale AI-driven defence production (AR3/AR5 lines)TEKEVER
2025-05-08€70M round led by NATO Innovation Fund and Baillie Gifford confirms unicorn valuation (>€1B)Vestbee
SC

Source ledger

6 unique public sources

01
TEKEVER Confirmed as Europe's Newest Unicorn, as It Invests £400M in the UK to Drive AI-Driven DefenceTEKEVER · retrieved 2026-07-05
02
Portugal's dual-use drone startup Tekever raises €70M and joins the unicorn club (unicorn round)Vestbee · retrieved 2026-07-05
03
Defense IT company TEKEVER became a unicorn after raising investmentdev.ua · retrieved 2026-07-05
04
TEKEVER to Strengthen Coastal Surveillance in PortugalTekever newsroom · retrieved 2026-07-05
05
NATO Innovation Fund-backed Tekever Becomes Europe's Newest UnicornNATO Innovation Fund · retrieved 2026-07-05
06
TEKEVER becomes the latest unicorn in Europe's defencetech industryTech.eu · retrieved 2026-07-05