Key Takeaways
- • Chariot Defense announced a Board of Advisors including Gen. James E. "Jim" Rainey (U.S. Army Retired), the Honorable Ellen Lord (former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment), Brig. Gen. Samuel "Luke" Peterson (U.S. Army Retired), and Stephen Rodriguez (Founder of One Defense), adding senior military and civilian defense leadership to the company's governance structure.
- • The company has raised $42 million across two funding rounds, including a $34 million Series A closed in February 2026, positioning it as a well-capitalized defense technology venture backed by established venture capital investors including General Catalyst.
- • Chariot Defense focuses on next-generation software-defined power distribution systems for modern warfare and battlefield robotics, addressing critical infrastructure needs for military operations.
- • Gen. Rainey brings operational expertise from 38 years of military service, including leadership of U.S. Army Futures Command—the Army's most ambitious modernization effort since the Cold War—and management of 1.2 million personnel against a $186 billion budget.
- • Ellen Lord's appointment reinforces defense acquisition and supply chain expertise; as the first Senate-confirmed Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, she led cybersecurity integration into procurement policy across the defense industrial base.
Summary
Chariot Defense, a venture-backed defense technology company specializing in next-generation software-defined power distribution systems, has announced the formation of a Board of Advisors comprising senior military officers, civilian defense officials, and venture capital leadership. The initial appointees represent substantial expertise across military modernization, defense acquisition policy, and strategic investment in critical infrastructure technology.
The board includes Gen. James E. "Jim" Rainey, U.S. Army (Retired), whose 38-year military career culminated in leadership of U.S. Army Futures Command, where he directed the Army's most comprehensive modernization initiative since the Cold War. In this role, Rainey managed organizational transformation while overseeing 1.2 million personnel and a $186 billion budget. His command experience spans platoon through division level, with multiple Iraq and Afghanistan deployments, and he previously led the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and the Infantry School. The Honorable Ellen Lord, former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, brings acquisition-focused expertise to the advisory board. As the first Senate-confirmed official in that role, Lord directed the Department of Defense's personnel, policy, and acquisition processes, with particular recognition for addressing cyber vulnerabilities across the defense supply chain and integrating aggressive cybersecurity requirements into acquisition policy.
Additional advisors include Brig. Gen. Samuel "Luke" Peterson, U.S. Army (Retired), and Stephen Rodriguez, Founder of One Defense, further strengthening the board's operational and entrepreneurial credentials. The company has demonstrated significant market traction, having raised $42 million across two funding rounds, including a $34 million Series A in February 2026. General Catalyst, a prominent institutional venture investor focused on critical industries including defense technology, backed the financing round. Chariot Defense's leadership, headed by Founder and CEO Adam Warmoth, positions the company within the broader ecosystem of defense innovation aimed at modernizing military power systems and battlefield robotics capabilities.
The board includes Gen. James E. "Jim" Rainey, U.S. Army (Retired), whose 38-year military career culminated in leadership of U.S. Army Futures Command, where he directed the Army's most comprehensive modernization initiative since the Cold War. In this role, Rainey managed organizational transformation while overseeing 1.2 million personnel and a $186 billion budget. His command experience spans platoon through division level, with multiple Iraq and Afghanistan deployments, and he previously led the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center and the Infantry School. The Honorable Ellen Lord, former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, brings acquisition-focused expertise to the advisory board. As the first Senate-confirmed official in that role, Lord directed the Department of Defense's personnel, policy, and acquisition processes, with particular recognition for addressing cyber vulnerabilities across the defense supply chain and integrating aggressive cybersecurity requirements into acquisition policy.
Additional advisors include Brig. Gen. Samuel "Luke" Peterson, U.S. Army (Retired), and Stephen Rodriguez, Founder of One Defense, further strengthening the board's operational and entrepreneurial credentials. The company has demonstrated significant market traction, having raised $42 million across two funding rounds, including a $34 million Series A in February 2026. General Catalyst, a prominent institutional venture investor focused on critical industries including defense technology, backed the financing round. Chariot Defense's leadership, headed by Founder and CEO Adam Warmoth, positions the company within the broader ecosystem of defense innovation aimed at modernizing military power systems and battlefield robotics capabilities.
Go deeper than the headline
Research every firm in this story, track the ones that matter and get the daily briefing — free for 7 days.