Infantry soldiers carry body armor, ammunition, weapons, communications equipment, water, and medical supplies during patrols, assault operations, casualty evacuations, and resupply missions. These loads make long-distance movement and climbing more physically demanding. Edgerun Industries, a Palo Alto, California-based defense technology startup, has developed a powered hip exoskeleton designed to reduce the effort required to move under combat loads. The device attaches to a soldier’s existing battle belt and assists leg movement during walking without requiring a full-body powered frame. Its intended applications include patrols, assault operations, casualty evacuation, climbing, and resupply.

The exoskeleton weighs less than 10 pounds, including batteries, and has a stated operating time of more than 12 hours. Sensors track the wearer’s gait while motorized actuators assist each step. Field-swappable batteries compatible with drone battery systems allow depleted units to be replaced during operations. The exoskeleton delivers 30 newton-metres of assistance at each hip, with opposing motor torques designed to balance reaction forces at the belt. A quick-release mechanism allows the device to be put on or removed in seconds, while adjustable width accommodates different body sizes. Its compact design also allows soldiers to retain their existing protective equipment and sit inside military vehicles while wearing it.

Product Engineering

Edgerun’s hip-mounted design concentrates mechanical assistance around the joints involved in walking, avoiding the additional structure of a full-body powered frame. The motors sit below the belt line and within the width of a plate carrier, while the adjustable configuration accommodates a range of body sizes. The attachment is designed to leave other equipment accessible, allowing soldiers to carry weapons, communications gear, ammunition, and protective equipment alongside the exoskeleton.

Weight, runtime, and battery replacement are central product specifications. At less than 10 pounds, including batteries, the exoskeleton adds a relatively limited amount of weight to a soldier’s existing load. Its stated runtime exceeds 12 hours, and field-swappable batteries allow users to replace depleted power units without removing the entire device for charging. The quick-release mechanism further simplifies putting on and removing the equipment, while the belt-mounted configuration is intended to preserve mobility during walking, climbing, and other dismounted activities.

Ukrainian Field Testing and Product Launch

Edgerun publicly launched its military exoskeleton in August 2026 and joined Y Combinator’s Summer 2026 batch. The company has also conducted field evaluations with Ukrainian military operators, reporting more than 100 tests since May 2026. These evaluations expose the exoskeleton to operational use and provide feedback on movement assistance, equipment compatibility, fit, and battery replacement. Development involving Ukrainian operators and a local integration partner connects product engineering with the requirements of soldiers using existing tactical equipment.

Internal test data indicate a 30%–45% reduction in effort per step under load, although third-party verification remains underway. The figures are therefore preliminary rather than independently validated performance measures. Edgerun has also reported more than $100 million in letters of intent from Ukrainian military units. These expressions of purchasing interest indicate potential demand but do not establish equivalent revenue, binding purchase orders, or completed deliveries. Independent performance testing and confirmed procurement agreements remain important measures of the product’s commercial progress.

Military and Industrial Applications

The exoskeleton is designed for military personnel who carry heavy equipment during patrols, assault missions, climbing, casualty evacuation, and resupply. Mechanical assistance at the hips is intended to reduce the effort associated with repeated steps under load, while the low-weight design and extended stated runtime address the demands of prolonged operations. Compatibility with existing battle belts and protective equipment allows the device to be incorporated without requiring soldiers to replace their established gear.

Edgerun’s longer-term physical-augmentation program also identifies potential applications in energy, mining, construction, fire and rescue, and space operations. These sectors involve physically demanding work in which wearable assistance may help workers move equipment or perform tasks under challenging conditions. The military exoskeleton is the company’s first product in this wider program. Its next commercial milestones include independent validation of performance, conversion of letters of intent into confirmed orders, and evidence of production and delivery at the scale required by military customers.

ABOUT | DAVID VENEGAS

David Venegas is the founder and chief executive officer of Edgerun Industries, a defense technology startup based in Palo Alto, California, that develops powered exoskeletons for military personnel. The company’s flagship product is a lightweight, hip-mounted device designed to assist soldiers carrying combat loads. It uses gait sensors and motorized actuators to assist movement with each step and is designed to work with existing military equipment and body armor.

Before founding Edgerun in 2026, Venegas held engineering and operations roles at Stoke Space, Hadrian, and Durin. Edgerun was part of Y Combinator’s Summer 2026 batch and has conducted field tests of its exoskeleton with Ukrainian military operators. The company is developing wearable technology to help soldiers carry heavy loads during patrols, assault operations, casualty evacuations, and resupply missions.