Epirus vs Shield AI
Side-by-side equity comparison for employees weighing offers at Epirus or Shield AI. Valuations, funding history, headcount growth, and secondary-market context.
| Epirus | Shield AI | |
|---|---|---|
| Latest valuation | $2B | $13B |
| Latest round | Series C | Series F |
| Round date | — | — |
| Total raised | $350M | $1.2B |
| Founded | 2018 | 2018 |
| Headquarters | Torrance, CA | San Diego, CA |
| Employees | 242 | 1,372 |
| Employee YoY growth | +20% | +52% |
| Primary industry | Aerospace & Defense | Aerospace & Defense |
| Secondary-market price | — | $166.68 |
| Base-case equity multiple | 1x | 1x |
| Upside equity multiple | 2x | 2x |
| Lead investors | 8VC, Bedrock Capital | Andreessen Horowitz, Breyer Capital |
| Status | private | private |
Overview
Defense technology company building high-power microwave and directed energy systems for counter-drone and electronic warfare applications.
Builds AI-powered autonomous systems for defense applications, including the Hivemind autonomy platform for unmanned aircraft and other military vehicles.
Why we compare these
Epirus and Shield AI both appear on Defense-tech unicorns .
Epirus appears on Sara's List 2024; Shield AI is a direct competitor we track alongside it.
If you're evaluating offers at either one, the equity math depends on more than the headline valuation — dilution, strike price, time to liquidity, and concentration risk all matter. Use our equity compensation calculator and exit calculator to model your own numbers.