The round was led by QIC Ventures, with participation from R+VC, Folklore Ventures, DYNE Ventures, and existing investors including Main Sequence Ventures, Salus Ventures, and Beaten Zone Venture Partners, alongside several U.S. and international backers.
Founded in 2020 by CEO Simon Olsen and CTO Dr. Jonathan Nebauer, Arkeus is developing hyperspectral optical radar (HSOR) systems that combine multi-spectrum imaging with AI-driven interpretation to enable real-time perception for autonomous defense platforms.
The company says its technology captures and fuses multiple layers of visual data across the electromagnetic spectrum, from ultraviolet to infrared, allowing AI systems to detect, classify, and track objects in day-night, degraded, or contested environments where traditional optical sensors struggle.
Arkeus was born from Olsen’s experience in counter-narcotics operations in Colombia, where he saw drone operators overwhelmed by false positives in dense jungle environments.
That insight led to the company’s focus on building sensors designed for machine perception rather than human interpretation.
“Machines can’t act autonomously if they can’t truly perceive their environment,” Olsen said. “Data is collected but not understood in time to act.”
The startup says its systems can detect and track targets up to eight times further than comparable optical systems in degraded conditions, based on competitive evaluations conducted by the U.S. Department of Defense.
Arkeus technology is already deployed for evaluation by U.S. and Australian defense agencies and integrated with major unmanned systems manufacturers including Boeing subsidiary Insitu.
Unlike traditional systems, HSOR processes and interprets data directly on-platform, reducing reliance on communications links and enabling real-time autonomous decision-making at the edge.
“This capital allows us to scale manufacturing and get capability into the field faster, while expanding across a broader set of platforms and customers,” Olsen said.
He added that the company will establish manufacturing and engineering facilities in Queensland while building out its U.S. presence, including a sales and support team.
QIC Ventures’ investment director Nick Capell said the deal reflects a structural shift toward software-defined defense systems where sensing and autonomy are converging.
Arkeus currently employs around 55 people and plans to double headcount over the next 12–18 months as it scales manufacturing and deployments. The company also reports that U.S. demand has rapidly overtaken its home market, now accounting for roughly 80% of revenue.
Beyond defense applications, Arkeus is also targeting use cases in disaster response, wildfire monitoring, maritime search and rescue, environmental management, and border security.
Despite its global expansion, the company will retain its headquarters in Melbourne.
