XTEND, a leader in AI-powered tactical autonomous robotic systems, today announced that Aliya Capital Partners and Protego Ventures have co-led a strategic $30M extension to its $70M Series B funding round, joining participating investors: Len Blavatnik’s Claltech, Union-Tech Ventures and Chartered Group.
XTEND’s AI-powered systems are actively used by the U.S. Department of Defense, Singapore, Europe, the UK, and the Israel Defense Force to improve strategic capabilities and mission success in challenging environments. With this Series B funding, XTEND plans to scale up U.S. and global production, integrate real-time AI capabilities across its platforms, and expand deployments with U.S. and allied defense forces, as well as for humanitarian and emergency response efforts.
As part of this investment, Aliya Capital Partners’ Founding Partner and CEO, Ross Kestin, has joined XTEND’s Board of Directors. Kestin explains: “XTEND’s mission—to deliver cutting-edge drone and robotics systems for high-risk, mission-critical environments—aligns directly with our vision of supporting technologies that protect and enhance life. We’re honored to back Aviv and his world-class team and help accelerate the impact of their technology across defense, security, and emergency response sectors.”
The announcement follows the grand opening of XTEND’s new U.S. headquarters and advanced drone manufacturing facility in Tampa, Florida, on July 1. The event brought together government, military, and industry leaders for a ribbon-cutting ceremony, remarks from key stakeholders, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing operations.
“The grand opening of XTEND’s Tampa facility represents more than a physical expansion—it marks a new phase of operational scale, U.S. engagement, and global relevance,” said Lee Moser, Co-Founder and General Partner of Protego Ventures. “We’re proud to support this next chapter alongside the Aliya team.”
Lital Leshem, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Protego Ventures, adds: “We invested in XTEND because it’s clear they are building a category-defining platform for human-guided autonomy that can scale fast and make an immediate impact. At a time when defense innovation demands urgency and trust, XTEND stood out as ready to lead.”
XTEND CEO Aviv Shapira concludes: “The successful completion of our Series B financing highlights the surging demand for mission-critical autonomous systems from allied defense and public safety agencies. The investment will fuel accelerated R&D, scale manufacturing, and global deployment expansion. That said, the backing from Aliya and Protego isn’t just about fresh capital—it’s a powerful vote of confidence. Ross’s experience and strategic perspective are invaluable in navigating this pivotal growth phase. Furthermore, opening our Tampa headquarters is a major step forward as we continue to build cutting-edge systems that protect lives worldwide.”