Young Veteran Builds AI Defence Startup in Georgia | Military Technology Innovation

The things starts changing When 25-year-old Tate Carroll walked across the stage at Northgate High School in 2018, he probably didn’t imagine he’d return to his hometown of Newnan, Georgia, just a few years later as the founder of a cutting-edge artificial intelligence defense company. But that’s exactly what happened.

Today, Carroll is the Chief Technology Officer and co-founder of Prometheus Intelligence, a startup that’s making waves in the defense technology world. The company is currently raising millions in Series A funding to expand its military AI applications, and they’re doing it all from a small Georgia town.

From Battlefield Problems to Tech Solutions

The story of Prometheus Intelligence isn’t something which you can relate with your typical Silicon Valley tale. It started with a real problem.

Carroll’s business partners, Nate Boaz and Randy Meyer, were part of the early forces that went into Iraq. During critical operations, including the rescue of prisoner of war Shoshana Johnson, they spent countless hours trying to interview Iraqi civilians. The big problem? Language barriers and not enough translators to go around.

Fast forward two decades, and Carroll faced the exact same challenge during the Afghanistan evacuation. “When I was trying to communicate with Afghan refugees, there was no real way to talk to them,” Carroll explained. The military was still struggling with translation shortages and getting proper interview support.

That’s when the lightbulb went off. Three people from different generations had lived through the same frustrating problem. If they could create an AI-powered device that conducts interviews without needing translators or large teams, they could solve a decades-old military challenge.

What Does Prometheus Intelligence Actually Do?

Think of it as having an AI interviewer in your pocket. The company’s main product provides what Carroll calls “AI investigative interviews as a service.”

Here’s how it works: Military personnel or operators enter what information they need to collect. Maybe it’s a safety survey, an incident report, or feedback after a mission. The AI system then conducts the interview automatically, asking follow-up questions based on each response to gather more detailed and accurate information.

In one recent Department of Defense pilot program, the technology replaced old-school clipboard surveys with headset-driven AI interviews. The system automatically logs all the feedback without needing someone to write everything down manually.

“It saves time. It saves money. And it improves accuracy,” Carroll said. Because some of their work is classified, he can only share high-level examples, but the pattern is clear: automated interviews that help missions run smoothly, reduce the number of people needed, and give decision-makers better information faster.

The company is currently working with both the Army and Navy, developing AI tools specifically designed for Department of Defense operations.

Building Something Special in Small-Town Georgia

What makes this story even more interesting is where it’s happening. While most tech startups chase opportunities in Silicon Valley, Austin, or Atlanta, Carroll deliberately chose to bring his company back to Coweta County.

“I am excited to build something impactful here,” he said. “If we do this right, we could help open doors for other startups in Coweta.”

Nearly all of the company’s engineering talent lives locally, including Carroll and co-founding engineer Austin Patton. The company originally had an office in Atlanta, but Carroll pushed to move operations back home.

A Teen Prodigy on the Team

Perhaps the most remarkable part of the Prometheus Intelligence story involves their youngest team member: 16-year-old Hayden Cash, a senior at Central Educational Center.

Cash isn’t just an intern fetching coffee. He designed the actual physical case that the military uses in operational environments. He created the AutoCAD files, 3D printed the prototype, and helped bring the manufacturing to completion.

“He has been huge for us,” Carroll said. “We want to keep engineering jobs local and create more of them. You should not have to move to Austin or Atlanta for this kind of work.”

The Booming Defense Tech Industry

Prometheus Intelligence is entering the defense technology space at the perfect time. In 2024, defense tech startups raised nearly $3 billion, showing a huge surge in investor interest. The sector is experiencing a transformation, with innovative startups challenging traditional defense contractors.

Through mid-November 2024, defense tech startups raised just under $3 billion in 85 funding rounds, already beating previous records. Major venture capital firms like Andreessen Horowitz, Alumni Ventures, and others are pouring money into this space.

The rise of companies in this sector marks a significant shift. The defense industry, traditionally dominated by huge established contractors, is now seeing an influx of innovative startups backed by venture capital. This change is driven by the need for rapid technological advancement and the Department of Defense’s increasing willingness to work with smaller, more agile companies.

AI startups are enhancing defense capabilities through innovative solutions in cybersecurity, military training, surveillance, logistics optimization, and autonomous systems.

Responsible AI Development

Carroll is careful to emphasize that his company builds AI responsibly, especially for defense applications. To avoid anything resembling full autonomy in sensitive situations, Prometheus Intelligence uses two operating modes:

Investigator-in-the-loop AI: The AI conducts the interview, but a human operator oversees everything.

Companion mode AI: The AI suggests questions, but a human actually asks them.

“There is always a human in the middle,” Carroll explained. “You need that gap. You need that interaction. Fully autonomous interviewing is not responsible.”

This human-centered approach is crucial in defense applications where decisions can have serious consequences.

Beyond Military Applications

While the company is currently focused on Department of Defense contracts, Carroll sees broader potential for their technology. One interesting use case involves technical job interviews. The AI system can ask detailed, specific questions about complex topics like radar systems for an avionics technician position questions that go far beyond what a typical HR recruiter might know.

“There are endless applications,” Carroll said. “But we are staying focused on the DOD for now.”

Winning Contracts and Raising Funds

The company’s fundraising success has been driven by proven results. “We had already won several contracts with the DOD,” Carroll noted. “Automating old processes, saving taxpayers money, that is what showed investors we were onto something.”

The current Series A funding round will allow the team to grow, strengthen their product offerings, and expand into additional areas across the Department of Defense.

Creating Opportunities Back Home

For Carroll, this isn’t just about building a successful company. It’s about creating opportunities in the place he calls home.

Carroll left Newnan for the Air Force and later moved to Texas for a tech job. That experience of having to leave home for opportunities fuels his desire to bring high-quality jobs back to Coweta County.

“I want local people to see that if they have big ideas, ideas about solving problems for the government or the military, they can try it here,” he said.

He believes that with support from city leaders and organizations focused on innovation, Coweta could seed a new wave of technical startups. “There is opportunity here,” he said. “More jobs. More industry. That is good for everyone.”

As Prometheus Intelligence prepares to scale from a garage operation to a full office with additional engineers, they’re proving that you don’t need to be in a major tech hub to build world-class defense technology. Sometimes, the best innovations come from solving real problems you’ve experienced yourself and bringing those solutions home to make a difference in your own community.