Fueled by Customer Demand and Exceptional Growth, Vantage Robotics Expands Operations to the Midwest

SAN LEANDRO, Calif, Jan. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Vantage Robotics, the leading dual-use unmanned aircraft system (UAS) company, today announced that it has received support from JobsOhio, Ohio's private nonprofit economic development corporation with a mission to drive job creation and new capital investment in Ohio through business attraction, retention and expansion. Under the agreement, Vantage Robotics will help stimulate Ohio's economy through job creation and retention.

"We are honored that JobsOhio is supporting Vantage and we look forward to expanding our operations into Ohio," stated Tobin Fisher, co-founder and CEO of Vantage Robotics. "There is an enormous reserve of military and defense talent in Ohio, which will be a huge advantage for expanding our existing top-notch team. As the demand for our trusted intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) drone continues to grow year after year, we must fulfill the demand while continuing to drive industry innovation. Our partnership with JobsOhio is key to making this possible and we look forward to creating a positive impact on the Ohio economy."

JobsOhio plays a leading role in Ohio's economic development. The nonprofit serves as a catalyst in accelerating economic growth by investing in communities, helping local businesses expand and attracting new companies to the state, all of which contributes to job creation, greater payrolls and more investment. This is made possible through strong partnerships with regional and local economic development partners, elected and appointed officials, the business community, public and private institutions, the state of Ohio, and countless others.

"Over the past year, Ohio has passed several pieces of legislation to make the state the most military-friendly in America, and we've seen record employment growth within the military and federal sector," stated J.P. Nauseef, president and CEO at JobsOhio. "We are thrilled to welcome Vantage to Ohio and are committed to supporting the company's growth through our industry specific resources and expansive network."

Vantage builds drones and critical drone components for private and public organizations, including the FBI, DEA, United States Armed Forces, Union Pacific Railroads and CNN, among others. Vesper, the company's flagship product, is a light, rugged and portable ISR drone that is easy to use and has been thoroughly tested with thousands of hours of flight. Vesper provides field operators with American-made ISR, extended flight time, unmatched low light performance and 3-axis stabilized tri-sensor payload. Vesper's modular design and uncompromising build quality meets the needs of a range of mission-critical operations at a moment's notice.

Leading up to receiving support from JobsOhio, Vantage has reached several corporate and product milestones further validating the company's leadership position and setting the stage for an exceptional 2022. Highlights include:

• Raised $17 million from Refinery Ventures and veteran Silicon Valley investors and entrepreneurs.
• Awarded $16 million in R&D contracts from Department of Defense (DoD) Innovation Unit, The United States Army and The United States Air Force.
• Selected by the United States Army to develop the next generation nano drone for the $100M Soldier Borne Sensor program.

"Not only are we beyond excited to add Vantage as one of our first Fund II investments, we're thrilled to contribute to innovation and economic growth in Ohio," stated Tim Schigel, managing partner of Refinery Ventures. "As dual-use technologies become increasingly important to national competitiveness, we want to be at the forefront of providing the smart capital necessary to help them grow. We look forward to working with JobsOhio and Vantage through the company's next phase of growth."

SOURCE Vantage Robotics