Chief Technology Officer - Defense Technology

CTO – Intelligent Area Denial | Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine

Europe's eastern border is the most consequential security challenge of this generation. We're building the technology to help defend it.

We are developing a next-generation intelligent area-denial system for NATO's eastern flank and Ukraine — software-first, edge-deployed, and built for the operational realities of degraded, contested environments. We are in stealth, incorporated in Estonia, and backed by an experienced defense-tech founder with a prior exit in robotics and unmanned systems serving NATO customers.

Our advisory bench includes former heads of state and senior military leaders who have operated in exactly the environments our system is designed for. We are preparing to close our first funding round in Q2 2026.

We are looking for a CTO who will own the full technology stack — from edge layer through sensor fusion to operator interface — and who wants to build something that matters.

What You'll Build

The system integrates multi-sensor fusion (video, IR, acoustics, seismic, RF), real-time AI-driven decision support, and a human-in-the-loop architecture designed to operate under disrupted communications and contested electromagnetic conditions. This is not a lab project. The path from prototype to operational deployment is the job.

Your scope will include:

• Engineering team build-out — recruit, structure, and lead a high-caliber team from first hires through scaling
• Technology roadmap ownership — prototype to production, with direct accountability to operational performance benchmarks
• Full-stack system architecture — edge computing layer, communications backbone, cloud infrastructure, and operator interface
• AI/ML sensor fusion engine — real-time, low-latency threat detection and classification across heterogeneous sensor inputs
• Hardware integration — close collaboration with external hardware partners; this is a software-first company with serious RF and physical layer awareness
• CEO/Chairman interface — you will define capabilities, validate with end users, and own the technical narrative with investors and partners

Who We're Looking For

You have built distributed, real-time systems that work when connectivity fails and latency is unforgivable.

You understand the difference between a demo and a deployed system, and you've shipped the latter.

Highly relevant background includes:

• Distributed systems, edge computing, and real-time data processing at operational scale
• Multi-modal sensor fusion — particularly in any combination of video, IR, acoustic, seismic, or RF
• AI/ML platforms applied to classification, anomaly detection, or decision support under time-critical constraints
• Systems designed for GNSS-degraded, comms-denied, or electronically contested environments
• Startup experience: you have worked with limited resources and delivered anyway

Experience from organizations operating at the intersection of AI and national security — Anduril, Palantir, Helsing, Shield AI, or comparable — is directly relevant and will be weighted accordingly. Familiarity with C4ISR architectures, autonomous systems, or border/force protection operational environments is a meaningful advantage.

This role is not for someone who wants to manage a roadmap from a distance. It is for someone who wants to architect a system from the ground up, lead the team that builds it, and see it operate in the field.

Logistics

• Location: Baltics, Poland, Finland, or Ukraine
• Language: Business fluency in English required
• Compensation: Cash component tied to financing milestones; full package activates at first close, Q2 2026. Meaningful equity for the right candidate.
• Status: Stealth. We will share full details under NDA.

If you are a builder who takes seriously what happens on Europe's eastern border — and you want your technical work to have direct operational consequences — we want to hear from you.

Direct inquiries welcome. Discretion assured.