Bone, a Korean defensetech startup, has secured $11.6 million (17 billion KRW) in seed funding. The round was led by US venture capital firm Third Prime, with Kolon Industries participating as a strategic investor. Additional investors include Timefolio Asset Management, KNet Investment Partners, The Ventures, and Bass Ventures.

Headquartered in Silicon Valley and Seoul, Bone develops autonomous robotics systems for defense and disaster response. The company is building a full-stack robotics platform that integrates AI-powered decision-making algorithms with precision hardware and manufacturing technology to create defense-grade autonomous systems that operate in real-world environments. In Korea, Bone has established a complete manufacturing system capable of everything from design to mass production.

Michael Kim, Partner at Third Prime, stated, “Bone possesses both AI technology and precision manufacturing capabilities, positioning it to lead a new manufacturing revolution of ‘Mass Production of Autonomy.’ We expect the company to grow into a leading enterprise building the foundation of the defense industry in the era of physical AI.”

A representative from Kolon Industries commented, “We are exploring various opportunities for synergy between Kolon’s materials technology and Bone’s robotics manufacturing, and we look forward to Bone’s growth in the physical AI-based defensetech sector.”

Founded in January 2025, Bone aims to establish Korea as a hub for advanced defense manufacturing amid global supply chain restructuring. Beyond simple robot manufacturing, the company plans to build the backbone of an intelligent defense industry ecosystem in the physical AI era, where AI expands into the physical world, leading a new defense manufacturing renaissance. The investment will be used to recruit top talent in AI, robotics, manufacturing, and factory management, as well as to strengthen R&D and production capabilities.

Bone is led by CEO Dokyung Lee, a Cornell University business graduate and serial entrepreneur from Y Combinator. Lee previously served as co-founder and Chief Business Officer (CBO) of MarqVision, an AI-based IP management solution company, where he also led the Korean office. Key angel investors who supported Lee during MarqVision’s early stages have participated in this funding round, reaffirming their continued confidence in his execution capabilities and vision.

CEO Dokyung Lee stated, “Just as semiconductors built the foundation of the digital industry, Bone will construct physical AI infrastructure combining defense technology and manufacturing innovation, redefining the global AI robotics ecosystem centered on Korea.”

The company’s team includes a Stanford neuroscience PhD, Georgia Tech aerospace engineering PhD, UC Berkeley mathematics PhD, and a calibration engineer from GM, as well as global talent with years of experience in defense sectors including the US Department of Defense, Combined Ground Intelligence Operations Cell (CGIOC), and Northrop Grumman. In its first year, Bone has recorded several billion won in revenue, demonstrating rapid execution speed in moving beyond research and prototypes to commercialization.