Salesforce has agreed to acquire Rune Technologies, a startup that develops artificial intelligence software for the U.S. military, for $375 million in cash and stock, according to a report by Resilience Media. The acquisition marks the latest move by the enterprise software giant to expand its footprint in the defense sector.
Expanding Missionforce capabilities
The purchase supports Salesforce’s strategy to grow its Missionforce business unit, which serves national security and defense agencies. The unit has seen significant expansion since its launch last year, with business growing 80% year over year. This growth was partly driven by a new 10-year, $5.6 billion contract with the U.S. Army, the company stated in a blog post.
Rune Technologies builds AI tools designed to help the military predict supply needs and manage logistics from the field. By integrating Rune’s frontline logistics data, Salesforce intends to extend Missionforce’s reach beyond back-office administrative planning to support direct battlefield operations.
Startup background and funding
Rune was founded in 2024 and has raised a total of $30 million from investors. The investor group includes Andreessen Horowitz, Point72 Ventures, and IQT, a nonprofit venture firm backed by the CIA that was formerly known as In-Q-Tel. According to PitchBook, the startup was last valued at $127 million when it raised a Series A round led by Human Capital last year.
This deal is part of a broader acquisition spree for Salesforce this year. The company has agreed to buy the AI agent platform Fin, formerly known as Intercom, for $3.6 billion. It also purchased Qualified for $1.2 billion and signed an agreement to acquire Listen Labs after the startup rejected a $125 million Series C term sheet at a $1.5 billion valuation.
Source: TechCrunch
