HIDDEN LEVEL EXPANDS ROLE IN NATIONAL SECURITY WITH $100M INVESTMENT IN DRONE DETECTION SYSTEMS

As Evolving Drone Threats Continue to Intensify, Hidden Level Sees Strategic Growth as it Executes on a Number of U.S. Government Contracts  

SYRACUSE, N.Y., Feb. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Hidden Level, a leader in passive radar and radio frequency sensing technology for detecting and precisely locating drones and other threats around you, today announced $65 million in Series C funding led by DFJ Growth with participation from Booz Allen Ventures, Revolution Growth, Costanoa Ventures, Washington Harbour Partners, Veteran Ventures, Founders Circle Capital, and others. This investment comes on the heels of the company's $35 million Series B which closed only 6 months prior, bringing the company's funding over the last 12 months to $100M, solidifying its position as a robust technology player in the rapidly evolving national security and critical infrastructure landscape.

The rapid proliferation of unmanned aerial systems (UAS) has introduced significant challenges to national security and the protection of critical infrastructure for the U.S. and its allies. From espionage to the potential for hostile actions, drones represent a growing threat in both military and civilian environments. As drones become increasingly sophisticated, with smaller sizes, enhanced stealth capabilities, and the ability to operate in swarms, traditional radar systems often struggle to provide reliable detection and tracking. This gap in airspace situational awareness underscores the urgent need for advanced sensing solutions capable of identifying and locating drone threats in real-time, even in complex and congested electromagnetic environments, to protect public safety and critical infrastructure.

Hidden Level detects and tracks a wide range of aerial activity, including drones—whether emitting signals, operating covertly as dark drones, or posing as imitations—along with aircraft, balloons, and other objects in the airspace. Its advanced technology also pinpoints the location of drone operators, providing a comprehensive and actionable view of aerial activity. Crucially, Hidden Level achieves this while maintaining full compliance with Title 18 regulations, safeguarding privacy and avoiding the need for changes to existing legislation.

Hidden Level's technology is increasingly recognized for its necessity in high-security scenarios. The company is on contract this year to support technology deployments for the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Africa Command, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Central Command, U.S. Northern Command, and other federal, state and local agencies, to address drone threats to U.S. national security, critical infrastructure, and military bases. The company's technology has been deployed to monitor major events, such as the recent presidential inauguration, where airspace security is critical.

Hidden Level's innovative approach is powered by its passive radar and RF direction-finding technology, which remains undetectable to bad actors, ensuring strategic sensor placement and uninterrupted operations. By leveraging its vertically integrated design, manufacturing, and testing capabilities, the company delivers sensors optimized for cost, mobility, performance, and spectrum breadth, meeting the diverse needs of its customers. Hidden Level's scalable solutions—whether delivered as hardware or data-as-a-service—offer unmatched flexibility and utility in monitoring low and high-altitude airspace.

"Hidden Level is addressing a critical gap in our defense capabilities with advanced technologies that identify and track the proliferating UAS threats, while remaining virtually undetectable", said Randy Glein from DFJ Growth. "This capability is changing the game on the battlefield, providing an electronic surveillance shield for our forces and assets in harm's way." 

Hidden Level's team brings deep expertise in advanced sensing technology honed through experience with the DoD, aviation authorities, and NASA.

"Critical infrastructure is the backbone of our nation's security," said Jeff Cole, co-founder and CEO of Hidden Level. "Today's evolving threats demand comprehensive airspace monitoring, from low-altitude drones to high-altitude aircraft and everything in between. With this new funding, we are poised to expand our impact, enhancing defense capabilities and supporting public safety, critical infrastructure, and emerging commercial needs."

The new capital will be used to scale the business by expanding manufacturing, hiring across the board, and growing internationally after successful deployments with over a dozen cutting-edge customers, including NASA, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Air Force, and the U.S. Department of Defense, while meeting the demands of new clients.

The Series C round follows the company's $35M Series B funding in 2024 led by Lauder Partners with participation from Booz Allen Ventures, Washington Harbour Partners, Veteran Ventures, Valor Equity, and others.

About Hidden Level
Founded in 2018, Hidden Level is a leader in advanced airspace monitoring and drone detection technology, dedicated to securing critical infrastructure and addressing emerging national security threats. Hidden Level's innovative solutions provide real-time, actionable insights by detecting and tracking a wide range of aerial activity, including low-altitude drones, high-altitude aircraft, balloons, and other airborne objects, as well as their operators.

Leveraging passive radar and RF direction-finding technology, Hidden Level ensures privacy protection while empowering federal, state, and local agencies with unparalleled situational awareness. The company's vertically integrated approach to product design, manufacturing, and testing enables scalable, cost-effective deployments tailored to the diverse needs of its customers.

Backed by leading investors, including DFJ Growth, Lauder Partners, Revolution Growth, Booz Allen Ventures, Costanoa Ventures, Washington Harbour, Valor Equity, and Veteran Ventures, Hidden Level continues to drive innovation at the intersection of technology and national security.

For more information, visit hiddenlevel.com or follow Hidden Level on LinkedIn.

About DFJ Growth 
DFJ Growth is a prominent investor in emerging technology leaders during their scaling phase of development. Founded in 2005, DFJ Growth partners with extraordinary, mission-driven entrepreneurs disrupting the status quo with game-changing innovations that become iconic companies. Our investments include Anaplan, Anduril, Box, Cellares, Coinbase, Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Neuralink, OpenAI, Patreon, Ring (Amazon), ScaleAI, SolarCity (Tesla), SpaceX, Stripe, Tesla, Twitter, Ring, Unity, and xAI. DFJ Growth is a fearless investor and steadfast partner to founders who imagine the future and execute on their bold visions to define it.

Press Contact: 
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SOURCE Hidden Level, Inc.