Erik Prince joins Ukrainian drone firm Swarmer, SEC filings show

Securities and Exchange Commission filings show that Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater, has been recruited as non-executive chair of Swarmer, a Ukrainian startup that has filed for an initial public offering. In a letter to prospective stockholders, Prince says Swarmer’s platform has been deployed in Ukraine since April 2024 and has carried out more than 100,000 real-world missions.

Swarmer presents itself as a software-first defence technology company focused on collaborative autonomy and intelligent swarming, with artificial intelligence that enables pilots to control drone swarms. The company highlights endorsement from Ukraine’s defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, and told investors that defence forces, including the US Department of Defense and Nato allies, see autonomous drone operations as requiring immediate investment; drones now account for roughly 70% of combat casualties in Ukraine.

Prince remains a polarising figure.

Ukraine

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