The CMU Portugal Affiliated company Tekever, specialized in AI-driven Autonomous Systems, is joining the list of Portuguese unicorn companies, since it reached a valuation above one billion pounds (1.173 million euros) after a new funding round. The round included continued support from existing investors such as Ventura Capital, Baillie Gifford, the NATO Innovation Fund, Iberis Capital, and Crescent Cove.
After reaching this valuation milestone, Tekever is the seventh Portuguese unicorn, joining CMU Portugal industrial affiliates Talkdesk, Feedzai, OutSystems, and Remote, in addition to Anchorage and Sword Health.
Founded in 2001 by computer engineering students from Instituto Superior Técnico, Tekever started as a software company focused on developing artificial intelligence but has specialized, since 2010, in building surveillance drones, becoming the European’s leading provider of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (also known as drones) and a leader in defence technology (deftech).
The company operates in several European countries, has engineering centers in the UK, Portugal and France, production facilities and operational support teams across Europe, including Ukraine. Its surveillance AR3 drones have been used by Ukrainian troops since the beginning of the war in 2022, supporting land and sea operations.
Tekever announced the launch of a five-year £400 million development program for the UK, known as OVERMATCH, “aimed at transforming the UK’s defence industry and ensuring the UK and its allies remain at the forefront of vital autonomous, AI-driven technology”.
In the Portuguese media: CNN Portugal, Diário de Notícias, E24, ECO, Expresso, Jornal de Negócios, Jornal Económico, Observador, Sapo 24, Sapo Tek, ZAP.