Modern defense capabilities are rapidly evolving to meet the demands of new battlefield realities. But these systems struggle to reliably operate on legacy power systems designed decades ago, threatening last-mile functionality. Just as critically, the thermal and acoustic signatures given off by combustion engines now make it nearly impossible for warfighters to hide from adversaries. As threats continue to evolve and advanced systems multiply, this power gap is increasingly becoming a key vulnerability.

At General Catalyst, we seek to invest in companies that leverage technology to unlock innovation in critical industries, including defense. That’s why we’re leading Chariot Defense’s seed round. Chariot designs the physical and digital power architecture that we think is needed to enable next-generation defense innovation at the tactical edge.     

Addressing the Power Gap

Today's battlefield is defined by advanced mission systems that require far more power than existing vehicles were built to deliver. From directed energy weapons to counter-unmanned aerial systems (cUAS), advanced communications to autonomous platforms, these technologies demand sophisticated power management that current tactical vehicles cannot provide.

Chariot addresses this by building a high-voltage hybrid-electric tactical vehicle architecture designed specifically to power, manage, and integrate these systems at scale. By creating power-aware, software-native systems, Chariot enables military operators to deploy cutting-edge technologies without infrastructure constraints. And by transitioning from engine power to a high-voltage battery pack, Chariot’s system can sustain field operations silently and with no heat signature, effectively hiding modern systems from adversary surveillance and detection.

Building a Modern Defense Prime for Power

We believe enduring national resilience will be shaped by founders who can bridge breakthrough technologies with real-world operational constraints. Chariot Defense founder Adam Warmoth exemplifies this approach. A Stanford-trained engineer, he saw a critical gap between the power demands of modern warfare and the capabilities of the legacy vehicles that service them. To this problem, Adam brings a wealth of experience: he led engineering for cUAS at Anduril, shaped key programs and partnerships as Head of Product at Archer, and is deeply familiar with power system architectures across both aerospace and defense.

“Chariot Defense provides a solution to a crucial problem: battlefield power infrastructure is not keeping pace with the speed of threats and development of new systems. We are bringing the high-voltage commercial power revolution to defense, enabling operators to sustain everything from radios and drones to electronic warfare, directed energy, and edge AI compute infrastructure; quietly, reliably, anywhere, anytime.” -Adam Warmoth

From our perspective, future conflict environments will reward nimble, power-aware, software-native systems and the companies that bring them to life, like Chariot. By bringing flexible, portable power to the tactical edge, Chariot can untether advanced, power-hungry electronic warfare systems from the large platforms they previously relied on. Imagine a future where warfighters can operate practically undetected with the latest technologies, independent of major power sources.

This is the future that Chariot is building today, and it’s why we believe they have the potential to become a modern defense prime. Force modernization is not just about developing future systems; it’s about thoughtfully retrofitting legacy systems to bring them into the modern age. Rather than focusing on changing the industrial base to meet unfulfilled needs, Chariot is reimagining survivability and system integration across all domains of warfare by giving existing platforms a modern energy pack. Not only is this a cost-efficient strategy, it has the potential to address needs across a variety of DoD and allied military priorities.

We believe the next warfighting platform won’t be about speed, armor, or autonomy alone. It will be about power. We believe Chariot will be the company that powers the tactical edge and look forward to partnering with Adam and the Chariot team as they build a more resilient future.