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§ Private Profile · Pella, IA, USA
Vision for GPS-denied environments
Vermeer Corporation manufactures specialized industrial and agricultural equipment for global markets. Its product range includes machinery for horizontal directional drilling, environmental solutions, tree care, and agricultural applications. The company develops robust, high-performance solutions engineered to meet demanding requirements in farming, construction, and infrastructure projects.
The company was founded in 1948 by Gary Vermeer, an inventive farmer from Pella, Iowa. Recognizing a need for improved efficiency, Vermeer initially developed a hydraulic wagon hoist for his own farm. This practical problem-solving inspired him to establish a manufacturing business, evolving from a small shop to produce durable equipment for industry needs.
Vermeer serves diverse global clients including agricultural businesses, construction contractors, and utility professionals. Its machinery operates across farms and industrial sites worldwide, enhancing operational productivity. The company's mission is to empower customers with reliable, purpose-built equipment, delivering lasting value and superior performance for success.
Vermeer has raised $10.0M across 1 funding round.
Vermeer has raised $10.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Vermeer has raised $10.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $10.0M Series A in October 2025.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2025 | $10M Series A | Andrew Tang, Draper Round Table | Draper Associates, Smash Ventures, Valorvc, Petr Smid, AeroX Ventures, Boscolo Intervest, Highpoint Ventures, USAF Techstars | Announced |
Vermeer is a Brooklyn-based software development company specializing in advanced tools for defense and military applications, particularly in contested, GPS-denied environments.[1][2] It builds mixed-reality (AR/VR), AI-driven platforms for pre-mission planning, visualization, navigation, and control of autonomous systems like small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS), drones, and satellites, serving warfighters, military operators, and aerospace sectors.[1][2][3] These solutions address critical challenges in harsh conditions by enabling reliable operations where traditional GPS fails, such as vision-based global navigation, 6DoF SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping), sensor fusion, and immersive C5-ISR (Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance).[2][3] With a team of 11-50 employees led by CEO Brian Streem, CTO Suresh Kumar, and CRO Derek Davis, Vermeer demonstrates growth through partnerships like dtLabs for AI/computer vision productization and customer demos across platforms.[1][3]
Vermeer emerged from a novel vision inspired by filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, aiming to bridge mental simulations with real-world execution for devices like drones or satellites—removing friction between human intent and autonomous action.[2] Founded by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in software, robotics, business development, and defense tech, the company is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, and operates as a privately held startup distinct from traditional government contractors.[1][2] It adopted an Apple-like approach: rapid prototyping, user empathy, and "creative selection" to iterate solutions, starting from green-field research into vision-based navigation and mixed-reality for military use.[2][3] Key early traction came via collaborations, such as with dtLabs, which accelerated development from offline localization prototypes using open-source AI models to hardware-validated, flight-tested products with unprecedented accuracy.[3]
Vermeer rides the surge in autonomous systems and AI for defense, fueled by rising geopolitical tensions, GPS vulnerabilities, and demand for resilient C5-ISR in contested domains like Ukraine-style conflicts or Indo-Pacific operations.[1][2][3] Its timing aligns with U.S. military modernization (e.g., Replicator initiative for attritable drones) and commercial drone proliferation, where market forces favor agile startups over slow incumbents—enabling quicker integration of AR/VR/AI for edge computing in denied environments.[2][3] By productizing cutting-edge research (e.g., deep learning navigation), Vermeer influences the ecosystem through partner integrations, demos, and talent pipelines, pushing boundaries in military autonomy and potentially spilling over to civilian uses like disaster response or agriculture drones.[1][3]
Vermeer is poised for scaled adoption via DoD contracts and OEM partnerships, expanding its platform to more autonomous assets amid escalating needs for GPS-independent tech.[2][3] Trends like AI sensor fusion, edge AI hardware (e.g., Jetson evolutions), and mixed-reality training will propel growth, potentially growing its team and revenue through SBIR grants or primes like Anduril/Lockheed. Its influence may evolve from niche innovator to ecosystem enabler, humanizing high-stakes ops with intuitive tools—cementing its role as the bridge from vision to victory in contested skies.[1][2]
Vermeer has raised $10.0M in total across 1 funding round.
Vermeer's investors include Andrew Tang, Draper Associates, Smash Ventures, ValorVC, Petr Smid, AeroX Ventures, Boscolo Intervest, Highpoint Ventures, USAF Techstars.