These cockroaches spy with mini backpacks in war – startup now receives 10 million
The cockroaches are equipped with small "backpacks" containing sensors. They are intended for use in war zones inaccessible to drones and robots.
The startup Swarm Biotactics equips cockroaches for use in war zones. The startup has now secured €10 million in seed funding.
Investors from Europe, the US, and Australia have invested, including Vertex Ventures US, Possible Ventures, and Capnamic. In an initial pre-seed financing round, Swarm Biotactics raised €3 million in investor capital. This brings the total investment in the startup to €13 million.
The cockroaches are designed to be able to penetrate restricted or high-risk terrain. Equipped with small "backpacks," as Swarm Biotactics calls them, they are completely controllable. The "backpacks" contain sensors and encrypted communication systems.
The cockroaches can thus provide real-time visual and acoustic data. According to Swarm Biotactics, they are intended for use in defense , search, and rescue.
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With the fresh capital, the startup plans to launch initial operational pilot projects in Europe and North America with defense, national security, and disaster relief agencies, according to the company. It also plans to accelerate the scaling of its "backpacks." The money will also be used for research and development, as well as for recruiting.
Swarm Biotactics was founded in 2024 by Jörg Lamprecht and Moritz Strube. Lamprecht is no stranger to the defense tech sector: He is also the co-founder of Dedrone , a drone startup that was acquired by the US company Axon in 2024.
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