According to a press release issued on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, the system is based on high-power microwave (HPM) technology and artificial intelligence. The company has completed its first round of financing and is now focusing on research and development work as well as building a prototype. The project is backed, among others, by Grzegorz Zwoliński, an innovator and entrepreneur, founder of the satellite system SatRev.
Image: ARES Shield AI
ARES Shield AI is developing Europe’s first AI-integrated, multi-domain defense platform using directed high-power microwave (HPM) energy to neutralize electronic threats. The technology enables the active protection of satellites as well as broadly defined critical infrastructure, including against drone swarm attacks. The project responds to the accelerating militarization of space and the evolving nature of the modern battlefield. The company draws on its team’s many years of experience in the space sector and in dual-use technologies. In its first funding round, it raised 1 million PLN from private investors.
Sentinel Space Layer – A New Layer of Defense in Space and Air
National security is no longer confined to Earth. The militarization of space is accelerating, low Earth orbit is becoming increasingly congested and contested, and countries such as Russia, China, and North Korea are developing and testing their own anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons systems. One of the key challenges facing NATO today is achieving space superiority – the ability to operate freely in orbit while limiting such capabilities for potential adversaries.
“The conflict in Ukraine and the technological advances that have followed, as well as the developments in global geopolitics in recent months, clearly demonstrate how essential the continuous development of defense systems is,” says Grzegorz Zwoliński, founder and CEO of ARES Shield AI. “What just a few years ago seemed like something taken straight from science fiction movies is now a real threat not only on the traditional battlefield, but also to airports, railways, and critical infrastructure as a whole, including satellite-based Earth observation systems.”
Sentinel Space Layer has been designed as a modular defense platform combining advanced AI-driven analytics, data from advanced radar systems and other multi-domain sensors, as well as high-power microwave (HPM) technology. In the orbital layer, the system serves as an active protective shield for satellites, countering threats resulting from the development of anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons. In the ground and air layers, it enables the effective neutralization of drone swarms and the protection of critical infrastructure.
The directed high-power microwave beam allows for precise effects on a target’s electronics without the use of conventional kinetic means. As a result, Sentinel Space Layer operates in a non-kinetic manner, generating no debris or space junk, making it a solution aligned with the long-term stability of the orbital environment.
The system is intended for NATO member states, satellite operators, European armed forces (including the Polish Armed Forces), and entities responsible for the protection of critical infrastructure.
Development Plans and Investment
Following the completion of its first funding round, ARES Shield AI is focusing on building a prototype of Sentinel Space Layer. Within the next 6–18 months, the company plans to conduct its first ground-based technology demonstrations. Subsequent stages will include orbital tests, system validation with institutional partners, and preparations for low-rate initial production.
In the longer term, ARES Shield AI aims to achieve full certification of the system (both military and civilian), integrate Sentinel Space Layer with existing security architectures, and reach full operational capability within approximately five years.
“We invited experts covering the full spectrum of competencies to work on Sentinel Space Layer in order to provide the team with the necessary know-how and optimize the pace of development. We cooperate with the public sector as well as with academic institutions in Europe, which allows us to prepare our platform for multiple use scenarios,” emphasizes Jakub Wolff, co-founder and COO of ARES Shield AI.
The Team Behind the Project
The ARES Shield AI project is led by a team of experts with experience in the space, defense, and dual-use technology sectors:
- Grzegorz Zwoliński – Founder and CEO, creator of SatRev, Vice Chairman of the Space Technology Committee of NOT, and dual-use technology expert;
- Jakub Wolff – Co-founder and COO, with experience in developing technology and gaming companies, including The Dust S.A.;
- Damian Fijałkowski – Co-founder and AI Team Lead, specializing in scalable business models in the space and AI sectors.
Press release