Rune Technologies has closed a $24 million Series A funding round, led by UpWest. This milestone accomplishment represents a major success for the company as it undertakes to revolutionize commercial logistics for military applications. David Tuttle is the co-founder of Rune Technologies. That’s why the company is focused on incorporating next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) into its software solutions, particularly as it relates to the company’s mission command system – TyrOS. Scaling through the challenges faced by military logisticians and commanders in rapidly changing battle space environments is the goal of a revolutionary approach.
To improve “course of action generation,” generative AI is embedded within TyrOS. Tuttle emphasized that the goal is to enable the system to process massive datasets quickly, allowing military personnel to query the system on-the-fly during operations. This new capability will help decision-makers cut through the clutter, particularly in fast-paced, fluid situations such as a pandemic.
Rune Technologies, which specializes in software that improves military logistics, finds its niche in the national defense space. Unlike many of their fellow startups which are obsessed with hardware and weaponry, Rune chose a different route. Tuttle noted, “Logistics is never the sexiest part of the military. The technology industry emphasis is on how do we make things go boom? How do we build great weapons systems?” The company’s vision is to bridge the gap between tactical-level intel and strategic decision-making with automation.
The company is proud that their team is made up of two-thirds veterans, which brings a distinct advantage to the company’s mission. Tuttle, reflecting on the experiences of his team, stated, “The U.S. military runs on Excel spreadsheets and whiteboards and manual processes right now to execute logistics operations.” Old technology is keeping us in the dark. Recent conflicts have brought these vulnerabilities to the fore, revealing the extent of logistical vulnerabilities and underlining how imperative it is to identify more efficient solutions.
This demonstrated success builds off of Rune’s successful pilot deployments with the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps. These deployments highlight just how valuable its mission command system for logistics can be in real-world scenarios. Tuttle looks forward to more collaborative efforts. He pointed to “lots of collaboration potential” with other startups or companies with deep tech pedigree, pointing to Palantir and Anduril, both of whom backed Rune in this recent funding round.
In providing further context around the pitch and inspiring longterm vision behind Rune Technologies, Tuttle provided perspective on the wider impact that their work could have. He mentioned the ongoing conflict in Ukraine as a “sad example of the expenditures of munitions” and highlighted how such scenarios could overwhelm traditional, human-centric logistical processes. He remarked, “I’m not just worried about sustaining this for the next 30 or 60 days,” indicating a commitment to building lasting solutions that can adapt to evolving military needs.
Tuttle further illustrated the architectural distinctions needed in developing software across multiple environments. He explained, “Building software today from a cloud environment standpoint is very different architecturally than if I’m building software to run literally on this laptop in the jungle in the Philippines with Marines or soldiers.”
As Rune Technologies continues to develop future iterations of its innovative mission command system, it hopes to reinvent the very fabric of military logistics. The patriotic company powers AI capabilities to improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of our armed forces. This combined effort is intended to expand operational readiness and rapid response capabilities.
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