---
title: 'Senior Business Development Lead, Germany - Hivemind at Shield AI'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-business-development-lead-germany-hivemind-shield-ai-munich-92tg7np2sqr7'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-24'
---

# Senior Business Development Lead, Germany - Hivemind at Shield AI

- **Company:** Shield AI
- **Location:** Munich, Germany
- **Employment:** internship
- **Work type:** remote
- **Posted:** 2026-10-21
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-24
- **Apply:** https://jobs.lever.co/shieldai/96d0e0da-6c0a-4918-af24-6e1d3e499808

## Job description

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

What You'll Do:

- Own and drive the full sales lifecycle for Hivemind opportunities across assigned accounts/territories (pipeline generation through close)
- Develop and execute territory and capture strategies for priority pursuits, aligning with Shield AI’s long-term strategic plan
- Identify, qualify, and shape new business opportunities through deep understanding of customer missions, budgets, and acquisition pathways
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers, program offices, and influencers across defense and government customers
- Lead proposal development in partnership with BD Operations and cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment with customer requirements and value propositions
- Conduct competitive analysis and position Hivemind effectively in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
- Partner with Product, Engineering, and Solutions teams to translate customer needs into compelling technical and operational solutions
- Manage deal progression with rigour (qualification, deal strategy, forecasting accuracy, CRM hygiene)
- Represent Shield AI at industry events, conferences, and customer engagements to expand market presence and pipeline
- Communicate clearly with internal stakeholders and leadership on pipeline status, risks, and key milestones

Measures of Success (First 6–12 Months)

- Strong pipeline generation and progression within assigned accounts and territories
- Successful execution of capture strategies resulting in qualified opportunities and wins
- Improved deal velocity and win rates through disciplined qualification and positioning
- Establishment of trusted relationships with key customer stakeholders and partners
- Consistent, accurate forecasting and high-quality CRM and pipeline hygiene
- Meaningful contribution to revenue growth across the Americas Hivemind business

Required Qualifications:

- 10–15+ years of experience in business development, sales, or capture roles in technically complex domains (AI/ML, autonomy, SaaS, aerospace/defence, or similar)
- Proven track record of owning and closing deals, particularly within European government or defence markets
- Deep understanding of defence acquisition processes and government procurement lifecycle
- Strong experience developing and executing capture strategies for complex opportunities
- Technical aptitude and ability to engage credibly with Engineering, Product, and Operational stakeholders
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
- Self-motivated, results-oriented, and capable of operating in a fast-paced environment

## Preferred Qualifications

- Experience selling autonomy, AI/ML, or unmanned systems (UAS) solutions
- Prior military experience a plus
- Established relationships within defense, government, or aerospace customer sets
- Experience working with Large Systems Integrators (LSIs) and strategic partners
- Ability to travel as needed for customer engagements and industry events
- Active or eligibility for security clearance
- MBA or equivalent graduate degree

Our international teammates receive a comprehensive total rewards package aligned to your country office location. For full details on compensation and benefits, please consult your talent acquisition partner.

## About Shield AI

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Shield AI builds AI pilots and autonomous systems for military aircraft to protect service members and civilians.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series G, venture-backed)
- **Headquarters**: San Diego, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2015
- **Founders**: Brandon Tseng, Ryan Tseng, Andrew Reiter

## Core Business
- Primary industry/industries: Defense technology, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, aerospace
- Target customers: U.S. Department of Defense, allied nations’ military forces (B2G / Government)
- Mission or purpose statement: “Protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.”

## Products & Services
- **Hivemind**: A combat‑tested, modular autonomy stack for aircraft – self‑driving technology for drones, jets, and helicopters. Includes path‑planning, mapping, state‑estimation, computer vision, and reinforcement learning. Type: Software (AI/autonomy).
- **V‑BAT**: A vertical take‑off and landing (VTOL) unmanned aerial system (UAS) designed for persistent ISR and strike missions. Type: Hardware (drone).
- **X‑BAT**: An advanced unmanned aircraft system with extended endurance and payload capacity, built for multi‑domain operations. Type: Hardware (drone).
- **Hivemind Vision Systems**: Computer‑vision and sensor‑fusion capabilities integrated into Hivemind for GPS‑denied environments. Type: Software + sensors.
- **Hivemind Enterprise**: A deployable version of Hivemind for third‑party platforms and commercial applications. Type: Software.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed (private company). Total funding raised: $3.6B (as of Series G in March 2026).
- **Key Metric**: Annual Revenue ~$21.7M (estimated, private) | Total Funding $3.6B (including $2B Series G led by JP Morgan Chase and Advent International, March 2026).
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: JP Morgan Chase, Advent International, Blackstone, Riot Ventures, SnowPoint Ventures, Disruptive (55+ investors total). Strategic partners include U.S. DoD and allied defense forces.
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew 68.3% YoY to 1,283 employees; 338 active job postings (+57.2% YoY); operates in 5 countries (U.S., Australia, UAE, Norway, Ukraine); recent acquisitions of Sentient Vision Systems (2024), Heron Systems, MARTIN UAV.

## Competitive Advantages
- **Combat‑proven autonomy**: Hivemind has been tested in live military operations, providing a first‑mover advantage in contested, GPS‑denied environments.
- **Full‑stack integration**: Combines software (AI pilot), hardware (V‑BAT, X‑BAT), and sensor systems, creating a tightly integrated product ecosystem.
- **Cross‑functional engineering culture**: Engineers work across AI, robotics, aerospace, and defense – not siloed – enabling rapid iteration and field deployment.
- **Top talent pipeline**: Employees drawn from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, Amazon, Anduril, and other leading defense/tech firms.

## Strategic Focus
- **Scale AI pilots across all domains**: Extend Hivemind from aircraft to ships, satellites, and ground vehicles (“every military asset”).
- **International expansion**: Growing presence in Australia, Europe, and Middle East via mission autonomy centers and partnerships.
- **Deepen autonomy stack**: Continued investment in reinforcement learning, simulation, and computer vision to maintain leadership in contested‑environment autonomy.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission‑driven work**: Directly contribute to protecting service members and civilians with cutting‑edge AI and robotics.
- **Cross‑functional teams**: Engineers collaborate across disciplines (AI, hardware, software, systems) on real‑world defense challenges.
- **Benefits**: Excellent medical coverage, mental health EAP, paid parental leave, pet insurance, flexible work hours, gym discounts (SD) / on‑site gym (DC), free parking, competitive compensation, 401k with match, stock benefits.
- **Work policy**: Flexible work hours; some offices (e.g., San Diego HQ, Arlington, DC) have on‑site facilities. Remote/hybrid options available depending on role.
- **Growth trajectory**: Rapidly scaling (68% headcount growth) with hundreds of open roles across engineering, operations, and program management.

## Sources
1. [shield.ai/about](https://shield.ai/about/)
2. [shield.ai/careers](https://shield.ai/careers/)
3. [LinkedIn – Shield AI](https://www.linkedin.com/company/shield-ai)
4. [CBInsights – Shield AI](https://www.cbinsights.com/company/shield-ai)
5. [Lever – Shield AI Jobs](https://jobs.lever.co/shieldai)

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