From Military Roots to AI Innovation: Yurts’ $40M Series B Funding
Ben Van Roo, founder of Yurts, might have followed his family’s Air Force legacy if not for his vision limitations. “My whole family was in the Air Force—all pilots,” he shared. Instead, he’s supporting the military through cutting-edge AI technology, positioning Yurts as a pivotal AI integration platform for high-security environments.
Breaking Ground in Defense Tech
Yurts has become the first AI platform deployed on a classified Department of Defense (DoD) network, aiming to serve as a key AI-powered assistant alongside the Pentagon’s in-house chatbot development. This milestone has attracted significant investment, including a $40M Series B round led by XYZ Venture Capital, bringing total funding to $58.35M.
Key Contracts & Partnerships
- U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, and Department of Energy collaborations
- $16M contract with U.S. Special Operations Command
The Vision Behind Yurts
Van Roo’s background uniquely prepared him for this venture:
- Military research: Worked at RAND Corporation, analyzing supply chains in conflict zones like Iraq and Afghanistan.
- AI expertise: Developed machine learning projects at Chegg and Primer.ai before founding Yurts in 2022.
His insight? Enterprise AI adoption requires secure, scalable integration—a gap Yurts fills by adapting AI for legacy systems in high-stakes environments.
Competitive Landscape & Future Outlook
While Yurts leads in defense-sector AI, compe*****s like Ask Sage and Primer.ai (Van Roo’s former employer) are vying for DoD contracts. Van Roo remains confident in Yurts’ long-term value:
“We’re just scratching the surface of enterprise AI. The next decade will bring transformative model advancements, but deploying them securely at scale is where we excel.”
With 50 employees (25% holding security clearances), Yurts is poised to redefine how classified data and AI converge—powering everything from historical report analysis to military tech brainstorming.
Why This Matters
Yurts’ success highlights:
- Growing defense-tech synergy: Silicon Valley’s role in modernizing national security.
- Enterprise AI’s untapped potential: Secure, large-scale deployments remain a critical challenge.
- Founder-market fit: Van Roo’s dual expertise in defense and AI drives Yurts’ strategic edge.
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