Tern AI
Tern AI develops IDPS™, an AI-powered, software-only positioning system that delivers continuous vehicle location using existing onboard sensors and digital maps, eliminating dependency on GPS, GNSS, or cellular signals. It serves automotive OEMs, commercial fleets, defense agencies, and emergency services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2022
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingSoftware
What Tern AI does
Tern AI (TERN), founded in 2022 in Austin, Texas, develops IDPS™ (Independently Derived Positioning System), a patented, software-only AI positioning engine that determines vehicle location without GPS, GNSS, cellular, or any other external infrastructure signal. The system fuses existing onboard vehicle sensors (wheel speed sensors, steering angle, IMU/accelerometer/gyroscope data, odometry) with preloaded digital base maps through adaptive weighting algorithms that continuously predict, confirm, and refine position in real time. IDPS™ can cold-start from no prior knowledge, achieves 3.52m endpoint accuracy (versus 494m drift for traditional automotive dead reckoning in side-by-side testing), has run 180+ continuous miles GPS-free including live spoofing in a conflict zone, and completes an 800-mile connectivity-free Chicago-to-Austin drive. It runs under 20% CPU load on mid-tier automotive processors (NVIDIA Jetson, Qualcomm Snapdragon, ARM) and powers third-party navigation applications including Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps, HERE, TomTom, OpenStreetMap, ESRI, and ArcGIS.
TERN's go-to-market operates across four channels: (i) OEM embedded software licensing into vehicle infotainment at the factory level for model year 2009+ vehicles, (ii) commercial fleet software licensing (subscription/recurring) to delivery, logistics, emergency services, and rideshare operators, (iii) direct government and defense contracts with the U.S. Army (xTechOverwatch winner, Phase II SBIR), U.S. Department of Transportation (alternative PNT evaluation), and NATO (DIANA 2026 cohort covering 32 nations), and (iv) the Proprio plug-and-play OBD2 retrofit device (one-time hardware sale plus software license) for individual and fleet retrofits. Pricing is quote-based and negotiated per OEM/fleet/government agreement.
The company is privately held, venture-backed with $11.9M raised across a June 2024 seed ($4.4M from Scout Ventures, Shadow Capital, Bravo Victor VC, Veteran Fund) and an October 2025 seed extension ($7.5M), employs more than two dozen people in a fully remote structure across all U.S. time zones, and was co-founded by former special operators Brett Harrison (President) and Phil Reason (CPO) alongside AI entrepreneur Shaun Moore (CEO, previously founder/CEO of Trueface through its acquisition by Pangiam). Leadership is supplemented by an advisory board that includes a former U.S. DoT Deputy Assistant Secretary for PNT, the co-founder of Etak (first commercial in-car navigation system), and a retired U.S. Army Major General.
Tern AI firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tern AI
- Legal name
- TERN
- Website
- https://tern.ai
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2022
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tern AI develops IDPS™, an AI-powered, software-only positioning system that delivers continuous vehicle location using existing onboard sensors and digital maps, eliminating dependency on GPS, GNSS, or cellular signals. It serves automotive OEMs, commercial fleets, defense agencies, and emergency services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tern AI industry classification
Industry- Product category
- GPS Alternative Navigation Software
- NAICS
- Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Autonomous Driving & ADAS Perception (HDAAAEAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- ADAS Compute & Control Units Manufacturing (Domain Controllers/ECUs) (IMACAMAG)
Keywords
Where Tern AI is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tern AI business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- OEM Software Licensing: License of IDPS™ software to automotive OEMs for integration into vehicle infotainment and navigation systems at the factory level. Software-only deployment leveraging existing vehicle sensors and base maps.
- Fleet Software Licensing: Licensing of IDPS™ to commercial fleet operators (delivery, logistics, emergency services, rideshare, environmental) for continuous positioning without GPS. Includes fleet management and routing optimization capabilities.
- Government and Defense Contracts: U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Army contracts for resilient positioning technology. Integration with defense command systems and operational scenarios. NATO DIANA adoption pathways across 32 NATO nations.
- Proprio Retrofit Device: Plug-and-play OBD2 device for retrofitting existing fleet vehicles and individual vehicles with IDPS™ capability, connected via BLE or serial to smart devices. One-time hardware sale with associated software license.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Licensing/ royalties | Multi-year contract | OEM Embedded Software — factory integration of IDPS™ into vehicle infotainment systems |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Tern AI product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tern AI develops and licenses IDPS™ (Independently Derived Positioning System), a patented AI software engine that delivers continuous, real-time vehicle positioning without GPS, GNSS, cellular, or external infrastructure by fusing existing onboard vehicle sensors (wheel speed, steering angle, IMU/3D motion data) with preloaded digital base maps. The software is delivered through OEM-embedded factory integration, enterprise fleet licensing, direct government/defense contracts, and an optional Proprio OBD2 retrofit device for existing vehicles.
Product overview
TERN AI's product portfolio centers on one core technology — the Independently Derived Positioning System (IDPS™) — delivered as a software-defined positioning layer that replaces or augments GPS across all environments. IDPS™ is a single unified product, not a modular platform; it uses existing vehicle sensors, preloaded base maps, and a proprietary AI engine to deliver continuous turn-by-turn navigation without satellites, signals, or external infrastructure. For retrofit fleet deployments, TERN offers the Proprio plug-in device (OBD2/BLE), enabling the same IDPS™ software capability to be added to vehicles without factory integration. The software integrates with a wide range of third-party mapping and navigation platforms (HERE, TomTom, OpenStreetMap, Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps, ESRI, ArcGIS) and embeds on automotive-grade processors (NVIDIA Jetson, Qualcomm Snapdragon, ARM, Arm). The product serves five market verticals: Automotive (OEMs and dealerships), Commercial Fleet (delivery, logistics, environmental, rideshare), Government/Military (municipal safety fleets, DoD, DoT), Emergency Services, and Off-Road/Adventure. All segments run on the same underlying IDPS™ engine with sector-specific positioning use cases.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- IDPS™ (Independently Derived Positioning System™) Tern AI's flagship patented, AI-powered software engine that delivers continuous, real-time vehicle positioning without GPS, GNSS, cellular signals, or external infrastructure. IDPS™ fuses data from existing onboard vehicle sensors (wheel speed, steering angle, IMU/accelerometers, gyrometers) with preloaded base maps using a proprietary AI engine with adaptive weighting algorithms. It continuously self-heals and achieves ±4m accuracy over 180+ continuous miles with 3.52m endpoint accuracy. Deployed as software-only via factory integration, infotainment, the Proprio OBD2 device, or smartphone/tablet, it powers third-party navigation apps (Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps, OSM, HERE, TomTom, ESRI, ArcGIS) and integrates with NVIDIA Jetson, Qualcomm Snapdragon, and ARM processors.
- Proprio Retrofit OBD2 Device Plug-and-play OBD2 hardware device that brings IDPS™ satellite-free positioning capability to existing vehicles. Connects via Bluetooth Low Energy or serial to smart devices, enabling retrofit deployment for commercial fleets and individual vehicles without factory-integrated navigation. Sold as a one-time hardware purchase with associated IDPS™ software license.
- IDPS™ Off-Road Navigation Expansion Capability extension of IDPS™ that delivers continuous positioning and turn-by-turn navigation beyond paved roads into trails, forestry roads, industrial routes, and remote terrain. Provides waypoint-based trail guidance, real-time self-healing positioning across unstructured environments, and persistent route visibility in areas lacking cellular and satellite connectivity. Targeted at industrial operators (forestry, mining, construction), emergency services, and off-road recreational users.
Quantifiable outcome
- TERN demonstrated 180+ continuous miles of GPS-free operation with ±4 meter accuracy, including live GPS spoofing in a conflict zone
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Tern AI
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Tern AI technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration16 records
AI capability5 records
Feature6 records
Tern AI partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Anduril LatticecoreTERN integrated with Anduril Lattice during Operation Jailbreak at Fort Carson, becoming part of the U.S. Army's Next-Generation Command and Control (NGC2) ecosystem. Integration enables bidirectional workflows between command systems and vehicles.
- Palantir Maven Smart SystemcoreTERN integrated with Palantir Maven Smart System during Operation Jailbreak. Combined with TERN's positioning data, Maven Smart enables mission planning and coordination in GPS-denied environments.
- TAK (Team Awareness Kit)coreTERN integrated with TAK (Team Awareness Kit) during Operation Jailbreak, demonstrating interoperability with this widely used Android military situational awareness platform.
- SandtablecoreStrategic partnership between TERN and Sandtable (AI-powered simulation and mission planning company) to integrate Sandtable's geospatial terrain mapping and mission planning capabilities into TERN's navigation stack. Sandtable compresses terabytes of geographic data into lightweight, usable datasets that are valuable for autonomous ground systems navigation. The partnership enables end-to-end planning and navigation without satellite or RF dependency, combining mission planning with execution in a single workflow.
- NATO DIANAcoreTERN selected for the 2026 NATO DIANA (Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic) cohort in Contested Electromagnetic Environment. DIANA provides TERN with access to NATO test centers, end-user feedback, funding, and adoption pathways across 32 NATO nations. Selected from a record 3,680 submissions as one of 150 finalists.
- ArmcorePartnership with global processor architect Arm to advance intelligent navigation on Arm-powered platforms. IDPS™ is optimized for deployment on automotive-grade ARM-based processors, enabling efficient edge computing for satellite-free positioning in vehicles.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Tern AI competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NextNav: U.S.-based provider of terrestrial positioning as a GPS backup/alternative using a dedicated ground-based signal network. Most directly comparable to TERN because it competes for the same resilient PNT and 3D geolocation mandates from U.S. public-safety, defense, and commercial customers.
- TrustPoint: Developer of a GPS alternative positioning system using terrestrial 'signals of opportunity' combined with GNSS. Comparable to TERN in target market (defense, critical infrastructure, commercial) and product proposition (resilient positioning independent of GPS satellites).
- Xona Space Systems: Building a commercial LEO satellite constellation for alternative PNT services targeting autonomous vehicles, defense, and critical infrastructure. Direct peer because it pursues the same 'GPS alternative' value proposition through a different architectural approach, competing for the same customer wallets.
- Locata Corporation: Provider of terrestrial positioning networks (LocataLite) that deliver centimeter-level positioning independent of GNSS. Comparable to TERN in offering infrastructure-independent PNT for defense, mining, and aviation applications where GPS is denied or insufficient.
- Polaris Wireless: Specializes in high-altitude, 3D location using software-based RF pattern matching for E911, defense, and intelligence customers. Comparable to TERN because it competes in the same defense and public-safety positioning markets with software-centric, signal-independent approaches.
Emerging players
- Swift Navigation: Provides precise GNSS positioning solutions (Skylark corrections, Starling receivers) for autonomous vehicles, robotics, and fleet customers. Comparable to TERN as a positioning-tech vendor for autonomy and commercial fleets, though its stack augments rather than replaces GPS.
Broad incumbents
- Trimble: Diversified positioning, GNSS, and geospatial technology incumbent serving construction, agriculture, defense, and transportation. Comparable to TERN as a broad-spectrum positioning vendor where overlap exists in fleet and defense segments, though Trimble's portfolio is far wider than IDPS™.
- Hexagon (NovAtel): Hexagon's NovAtel division is an established GNSS/positioning technology supplier for autonomy, defense, and aerospace. Comparable to TERN in selling resilient positioning technology to defense and autonomous-vehicle customers, but as a much larger incumbent across the broader GNSS stack.
Others
- HERE Technologies: Global map and location platform; also a TERN integration partner. Comparable as a mapping/navigation provider that TERN sits underneath, and an ecosystem participant whose map data TERN's IDPS™ depends on for base-map positioning.
- TomTom: Mapping and navigation platform; also a TERN integration partner. Comparable as a map/navigation ecosystem player whose data and APIs TERN integrates with, rather than a direct competitor in alternative PNT.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat7 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Tern AI social profiles
Digital presenceTern AI financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tern AI leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Tern AI funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tern AI M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tern AI
What does Tern AI do?
Tern AI develops and licenses IDPS™ (Independently Derived Positioning System), a patented AI software engine that delivers continuous, real-time vehicle positioning without GPS, GNSS, cellular, or external infrastructure by fusing existing onboard vehicle sensors (wheel speed, steering angle, IMU/3D motion data) with preloaded digital base maps. The software is delivered through OEM-embedded factory integration, enterprise fleet licensing, direct government/defense contracts, and an optional Proprio OBD2 retrofit device for existing vehicles.
Is Tern AI a public or private company?
Tern AI is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Tern AI founded?
Tern AI was founded in 2022. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tern AI based?
Tern AI is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tern AI make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. OEM Software Licensing is the primary driver. The others are fleet Software Licensing, government and Defense Contracts and proprio Retrofit Device.
Who are Tern AI's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NextNav, TrustPoint, Xona Space Systems, Locata Corporation and Polaris Wireless. Swift Navigation is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Trimble and Hexagon (NovAtel). Others are HERE Technologies and TomTom.
Does Tern AI have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tern AI.
What industry is Tern AI in?
Tern AI's product category is GPS Alternative Navigation Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAEAI, Autonomous Driving & ADAS Perception, with a secondary code of IMACAMAG, ADAS Compute & Control Units Manufacturing (Domain Controllers/ECUs). Its NAICS code is 334511 and its SIC code is 7373.