# Former DOGE staffers launch AI military cyber startup Cathedral raises $160 million in funding - **Source:** [The Next Web](https://brifing.si/source/afe24b20-b275-4c19-b9a6-8bb3c8babae7) - **Published:** 2026-07-23 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/dda365b7-d899-4122-a378-8871e49de1fc ## The story behind Cathedral Cathedral is a military cybersecurity startup founded by former DOGE employees. The company plans to work with the US government on AI-driven cyber operations. The founders' Pentagon backgrounds have given the company a strong start. ## Investment round details Cathedral raised $160 million in a funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz and Sequoia Capital. The company's valuation reached $1.4 billion. This investment highlights the growing interest in defense technology. ## Founders' backgrounds Founders Gavin Kliger, Luke Farritor, Marko Elez, and Jack Stein held senior positions at the Pentagon. Kliger was actively involved in the Pentagon's legal battle with Anthropic. This experience has provided Cathedral with a solid foundation. ## Goals and strategies Cathedral aims to develop AI-driven cyber operations against adversaries like China. The company plans to partner with a dedicated data center provider. This will supply the necessary computational power for cyber operations. ## Industry trends The defense technology sector is attracting investment at the pace of AI labs. Companies like Anduril are leading this trend. Cathedral benefits from its founders' government connections in this market. ## Future expectations Cathedral's future depends on its ability to prove success through contracts. The company must support its government connections with product quality. This will be a critical question to answer in the next funding round. ## Sources covering this story - https://thenextweb.com/news/cathedral-doge-alumni-military-cyber-startup-1-4-billion — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._