About Citadel Defense
Citadel Defense is an Aerospace, Defense & Maritime company based in San Diego (United States) founded in 2016 by Daniel Magy, and was acquired by BlueHalo in November 2021. AI-powered counter-drone defense systems are developed and deployed globally. Citadel Defense has raised $25.75 million across 4 funding rounds from investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners, BlueHalo and John Vrionis. Its chief executive, as recorded, is Daniel Magy. Its focus areas include High Tech, Drones, Counter Drone Systems and Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Tech. Its legal entity is CITADEL DEFENSE COMPANY. Its competitors include Epirus, Fortem Technologies and DroneShield; 3 of its 3 listed competitors have raised funding.
Company details
Citadel Defense was founded in 2016 in San Diego, United States, within the drone defense sector. AI and machine learning-based counter-unmanned aerial systems are provided, with operations conducted across 13 countries. Drone threats are detected, identified, tracked, and neutralized by the C-UAS solution, including the Titan system, which operates autonomously without requiring specialized training. Military, government, and commercial infrastructure sectors are served internationally.
- Headquarters San Diego, United States
- Founders Daniel Magy
- Stage Acquired
- SectorsAerospace, Defense & Maritime
- Website dronecitadel.com
- Social LinkedIn X Facebook
- Acquired by BlueHalo (Nov 2021)
- Legal Name Citadel Defense Company
- Total Equity Funding$25.75M (USD)
in 4 rounds
- Latest Funding Round$12M (USD), Series A
Feb 2018
- InvestorsLightspeed Venture Partners
& 4 more
- Acquired byBlueHalo
(Nov 2021)
Funding Insights of Citadel Defense
Citadel Defense has successfully raised a total of $25.75M across 4 strategic funding rounds. The most recent funding activity was a Series A round of $12 million completed in February 2018. This substantial capital infusion reflects strong investor confidence in the company's business model, growth potential, and market opportunities. The funding enables strategic expansion, product development, market penetration, and operational scaling to drive long-term value creation and competitive advantage.
- Total Funding $25.75M
- Total Rounds 4
- Last Round Series A — $12M
- Investors Count 4
All 4 funding rounds of Citadel Defense with amounts and investors; the two latest post-money valuations are shown, the rest are part of the premium plan.
| Date | Amount | Transaction Name | Valuation | Lead Investors | Investors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2018 | $12M | Series A | – | – | |
| Aug 2017 | $12M | Series A | – | John Vrionis, Larsen Jensen | |
| Apr 2017 | $1.75M | Seed | – | – | – |
| Nov 2016 | Seed | – | EvoNexus | – |
5 investors in total: 3 institutional and 2 angel.
Investors in Citadel Defense
Citadel Defense has secured backing from 5 investors, including venture fund and angel investors. Prominent investors backing the company include Lightspeed Venture Partners, BlueHalo and John Vrionis.
| Investor | Description | Founded Year | Domain | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Venture capital investing in innovative companies across global sectors is undertaken by Lightspeed Venture Partners. | 1997 | lsvp.com | Menlo Park, United States | |
12-18 month incubation programs are provided for startups in California. | evonexus.org | San Diego, United States | ||
JV John Vrionis | Venture capitalist at Unusual Ventures, active angel investor in tech startups. | unknown_3596ec8372b9436cb | ||
LJ Larsen Jensen | Indian angel investor with focus on early-stage tech startups. | unknown_b9606f8d26784bffb | ||
Electronic warfare systems are provided for military applications. | 2020 | bluehalo.com | Arlington, United States |
Investor details for Citadel Defense
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People of Citadel Defense
5 people are tracked at Citadel Defense (4 in leadership, 1 in team).
| Name | Role | Group |
|---|---|---|
Daniel Magy | Founder & CEO | Leadership |
Christopher Williams | CEO | Leadership |
Joseph Makol | CTO and Co-Founder | Leadership |
Nicholas Manolelis | CFO | Leadership |
Matt England | CGO | Team |
Complete people profiles for Citadel Defense
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Timeline of Citadel Defense
4 dated milestones of Citadel Defense across 5 years, from founding to its latest funding, stage changes and deals.
- Founded Citadel Defense is founded.
- Funding First funding round.
- Funding Latest funding round, Series A, of $12.0M.
- Exit Acquired by BlueHalo.
Competitors of Citadel Defense
Citadel Defense has 3 listed competitors in our database, 3 of them funded. They include Epirus, Fortem Technologies and DroneShield.
| Company Name | Domain | Founded | HQ Location | Total funding | Employees | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| epirusinc.com | 2017 | Los Angeles, United States | $537.39M | Developer of high-power microwave systems for electronic warfare and air defense | ||
| fortemtech.com | 2016 | Provo, United States | $69.13M | 119 | Counter-UAS and onboard radar systems for UAVs are supplied. | |
| droneshield.com | 2014 | Herndon, United States | $26.23M | AI-powered counter-drone systems are provided for unauthorized drone detection. |
Detailed competitors of Citadel Defense
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Top companies in Drone & Aerial Mobility
3 companies that operate in the same segment as Citadel Defense (Drone & Aerial Mobility) in United States, ranked by their profile score on The Company Check.
| Company | Description | Founded | Location | Total funding | Revenue | Employees |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Provider of AI-based drone surveillance solutions for defense and maritime sector | 2017 | Orange, California, United States | USD 11.29 B | 9,670 | ||
Autonomous drones and AI pilots for fighter jets are developed. | 2015 | San Diego, California, United States | USD 3.52 B | 1,965 | ||
Autonomous drones, software, and accessories are manufactured for various sectors. | 2014 | San Mateo, California, United States | USD 825 M | 1,067 |
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Frequently Asked Questions about Citadel Defense
Citadel Defense was founded in 2016.
Citadel Defense is headquartered in San Diego, United States. It is registered at San Diego, California, United States.
Daniel Magy is the CEO of Citadel Defense, as recorded in our data. They have also founded this company.
Citadel Defense is a funded company, having raised a total of $25.75M across 4 funding rounds to date.
Citadel Defense was founded in 2016 in San Diego, United States, within the drone defense sector. AI and machine learning-based counter-unmanned aerial systems are provided, with operations conducted across 13 countries. Drone threats are detected, identified, tracked, and neutralized by the C-UAS solution, including the Titan system, which operates autonomously without requiring specialized training. Military, government, and commercial infrastructure sectors are served internationally.
Citadel Defense's top competitors include Epirus, Fortem Technologies and DroneShield.
Citadel Defense has 5 investors. Key investors include Lightspeed Venture Partners, BlueHalo, John Vrionis, Larsen Jensen, and EvoNexus.
Citadel Defense operates through Citadel Defense Company.
Yes. Citadel Defense was acquired by BlueHalo in November 2021.