Ukrainian-Founded Interceptor Startup Secures $1.6 Million in Pre-Seed Funding
Thermopylae Aerospace, a defense technology startup founded in June 2025 in the United States by Ukrainian engineer Yehor Balytskyi, has secured $1.6 million in pre-seed funding. The investment round includes UA1 VC, Norgard Capital, Naval Ravikant, as well as individual investors from SGA Capital, Cyrus Ventures, and other entities. With the successful funding, Balytskyi intends to return to Ukraine to initiate testing of the interceptor drone with frontline units and expand manufacturing capabilities.
Balytskyi, a self-taught engineer who left Ukraine at 17, following the onset of Russia’s invasion, completed the Entrepreneurs First accelerator program in London and gained experience working at several European technology firms. In early 2025, he relocated to the United States where he met Thermopylae’s co-founder, Carter Scherer.
Together, Balytskyi and Scherer participated in multiple hackathons before launching Thermopylae in June. That same month, the team received initial funding from the California-based accelerator, Founders.
Thermopylae has developed an innovative interceptor: an ultra-light modular copter launched from a mortar-like tube, equipped with thermal guidance for neutralizing glide bombs and strike drones, such as the Shahed. Powered by an electric motor, the interceptor achieves speeds up to 350 km/h and operates for up to 20 minutes per flight. Its software is scheduled for integration with Ukrainian situational awareness systems, and the projected unit cost is under $10,000. The interceptor features partial reusability, allowing recovery and reconstruction in instances of target misses and crashes.
UA1 principal Ivan Taranenko commented, “Thermopylae demonstrates two key attributes essential to UA1 at this stage - advanced technical expertise and swift operational execution. The founders possess notable backgrounds in aerospace and mechanical engineering and have consistently converted concepts into functional MVPs within weeks.”
Further emphasizing the collaboration, Taranenko added, “Our connection was fostered through shared involvement in the Ukrainian defense network, leading to immediate alignment. [Thermopylae and UA1] are committed to addressing a critical challenge in modern warfare: intercepting low-cost, high-volume deep-strike threats.”
Addressing deployment, Balytskyi stated, “Many existing counter-drone solutions do not reach battlefield deployment. From the outset, beginning with pre-seed funding, our objective is to deploy in Ukraine and demonstrate results, regardless of outcome. As a Ukrainian, my intent is to ensure our efforts directly support those on the front lines.”