Terra Industries Raises $11.75M to Secure Africa’s Critical Infrastructure

Terra Industries,  a defense technology company developing autonomous security systems for Africa, has officially emerged from stealth with the announcement of an $11.75 million funding round. The round was led by U.S. venture firm 8VC, founded by Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, and included participation from Valor Equity Partners, Lux Capital, SV Angel, Leblon Capital, Silent Ventures, Nova Global, and angel investors such as Micky Malka. Alex Moore, Defense Partner at 8VC and Board Director at Palantir, joined Terra Industries’ board last year.

Founded in 2024 by 22-year-old Nathan Nwachuku and 24-year-old Maxwell Maduka, Terra Industries designs and manufactures autonomous defense systems that enable governments and infrastructure operators to monitor, secure, and respond to threats across land, air, and maritime environments. Its technology is already deployed to protect power plants, mines, and other critical assets across multiple African countries.

Africa is experiencing a rapid phase of industrialization, fueled by a young population, rich critical mineral reserves, and annual infrastructure investment approaching $100 billion. Yet, much of this development occurs in remote or unstable regions where security has not kept pace. Corruption, organized crime, terrorism, and illegal resource extraction threaten infrastructure, disrupt supply chains, and undermine investor confidence, particularly across Sub-Saharan Africa and the Sahel. Terra Industries’ mission is to close this gap by delivering advanced, Africa-tailored security solutions.

“Africa is industrializing faster than any other region, with new mines, refineries, and power plants emerging every month. But none of that progress will matter if we don’t solve the continent’s greatest Achilles heel, which is insecurity and terrorism. Our mission is to give Africa the technological edge to protect its industrial future and defeat terrorism.”

– Nathan Nwachuku, co-founder and CEO, Terra Industries

To address these challenges, Terra Industries is building Africa’s first defense technology prime—a unified, vertically integrated platform of autonomous systems designed for the continent’s scale, terrain, and operating realities. Terra’s portfolio includes long- and mid-range drones, autonomous sentry towers, unmanned ground vehicles, and maritime surveillance systems, all powered by ArtemisOS, its proprietary software platform. ArtemisOS enables real-time threat detection, autonomous mission planning, and coordinated response across vast and difficult environments where traditional security models struggle.

Terra Industries already helps secure infrastructure assets valued at approximately $11 billion across Africa. Its current deployments include the Geometric Power Plant in Aba, two hydropower plants in northern Nigeria, and gold and lithium mining operations in Nigeria and Ghana. While initial contracts focus on infrastructure security, the company is rapidly expanding into multi-national border security and counterterrorism solutions in response to rising regional instability.

The company’s leadership brings deep technical expertise and firsthand experience of Africa’s security challenges. Nwachuku represented Nigeria at the Physics Olympiad and previously built an edtech platform serving hundreds of thousands globally. Maduka, a former Nigerian Navy UAV engineer, founded a drone company acquired by an automotive manufacturer at age 19. Together, they have assembled a multidisciplinary team spanning software, manufacturing, and operations, with experience drawn from the Nigerian armed forces, global technology firms, and Western defense and intelligence organizations.

Terra Industries manufactures its systems on the continent, employing primarily African engineers and operators. The company operates a 15,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Abuja, with plans to expand engineering and business leadership in San Francisco and London.

“This is African technology, built by African engineers, for African infrastructure. We are creating skilled jobs, building advanced manufacturing capacity, and ensuring the intellectual property behind Africa’s security stays on the continent.”

– Maxwell Maduka, co-founder and CTO, Terra Industries

Prior to Terra, African governments often relied on foreign defense systems. Terra competes successfully against global incumbents by offering stronger data sovereignty, integrated hardware-software platforms, faster deployment, and reliable local support. The new funding will be used to expand manufacturing capacity, grow engineering and software teams, and deploy more autonomous systems across allied African nations.

“Nathan and Maxwell have assembled a brilliant team to tackle a vital problem for the continent. We are excited to support their mission.”

– Alex Moore, Partner, 8VC

Terra Industries is positioning itself as a critical enabler of Africa’s industrialization, providing the security infrastructure necessary to protect the continent’s economic growth and technological future.