Epirus, the counter-drone directed-energy startup behind the Leonidas high-power microwave (HPM) system, runs a compact but sophisticated in-house LinkedIn program (~25 live ads, paid for by Epirus, Inc.). For a defense-tech company selling to a slow, skeptical buyer, the account is built almost entirely on third-party credibility: reprinted press from Axios, Reuters and Fox News; operational test footage; marquee partnerships (General Dynamics, Singapore's DSTA, Digital Force Technologies); and a heavy trade-show presence. The message is consistent — Leonidas is a proven, software-defined, low-collateral answer to the drone-swarm threat.
How Epirus advertises: Epirus advertises the way a venture-backed defense company earns trust with the Pentagon, Congress and allied militaries: it borrows credibility rather than asserting it. A striking share of the account is earned media run verbatim as ads — an Axios exclusive ('Electromagnetic weapon zaps drone swarm in seconds'), a Reuters story on Pentagon acquisition reform, and a Fox News Sunday segment ('How AI is changing modern warfare') — each turning independent journalism into a proof point. That's backed by hard operational evidence: sensor footage of a '49-drone swarm defeated with one instant, low-collateral pulse' and a '61/61 drones disabled' test result. Partnerships do the rest of the trust-building — co-branded ads with General Dynamics Land Systems (the Leonidas Autonomous Robotic on a GDLS TRX chassis), Singapore's Defence Science & Technology Agency and MINDEF, and Digital Force Technologies (an end-to-end 'kill chain' with DFT's Seraphim C2). Positioning ads hammer a single differentiator — 'Software-Defined. Low Collateral. Safe.' — and a category-creation idea ('The Sixth Domain'). The rest is pipeline mechanics: trade-show ads booking meetings at AUSA and Sea Air Space 2026, and dynamic 'Follow Company' ads growing an audience and recruiting talent. Production is in-house (Paid for by Epirus, Inc.).
A credibility-first mix: mostly borrowed trust (press, partners, test data) plus event and audience-growth ads — tuned to a slow, high-scrutiny defense buyer.
| Format | What Epirus uses it for |
|---|---|
| Earned-media reprint | Axios, Reuters and Fox News coverage run verbatim as ads |
| Operational proof | sensor footage and test results (49-drone swarm, 61/61 disabled) |
| Partnership co-brand | GDLS, DSTA/MINDEF Singapore and DFT credibility ads |
| Event / meeting-booking | AUSA and Sea Air Space booth and 'schedule a meeting' ads |
| Positioning & dynamic | 'Software-Defined / Sixth Domain' brand ads and Follow-Company talent ads |
Live Epirus creatives with their full ad copy (verbatim), format, theme and CTA.
"Verbatim intro: "100% successful. 61/61 drones disabled across 5 operationally-relevant flight scenarios." The ad is a screenshot of an Axios exclusive by Colin Demarest, describing Leonidas 'drone-frying' at Camp Atterbury. Running independent journalism verbatim converts a reporter's credibility into the ad's proof."
"Verbatim intro: "Rebuilding our military requires the United States Department of War to dramatically accelerate fielding of new technology. We will deliver." A Reuters article (by Mike Stone) run as an ad — attaching Epirus to a live policy tailwind (acquisition reform) rather than pitching product."
"Verbatim intro: "The future of warfare is here. In The Sixth Domain, asymmetric, robotic and growingly autonomous..." A Fox News Sunday segment ('How Artificial Intelligence Is Changing Modern Warfare') repurposed as a video ad, pairing broadcast credibility with Epirus's ownable 'Sixth Domain' category framing."
"Verbatim intro: "49-drone swarm defeated with one instant & low-collateral pulse of electromagnetic interference." A (redacted) sensor-view video of an actual counter-swarm engagement — the most direct form of proof a weapons company can show, and rare in B2B advertising."
"Verbatim intro: "We've partnered with Digital Force Technologies to deliver an end-to-end counter-UAS kill chain that unifies our Leonidas high-power microwave platform with DFT's Seraphim C2 and sensor fusion software." A dusk product film establishing Epirus inside a complete, integrated 'kill chain' rather than a point capability."
"Verbatim intro: "We've partnered with the Defence Science & Technology Agency (DSTA), taking an important step toward ensuring our scalable, software-defined and safe Leonidas high-power microwave platform can support allies…" A co-branded ad (EPIRUS | DSTA | MINDEF Singapore) that signals allied-government validation — powerful proof for a defense buyer."
"Verbatim intro: "Introducing Leonidas Autonomous Robotic, powered by GDLS TRX: a mobile counter-UAS capability featuring Epirus' Leonidas high-power microwave platform integrated with GDLS' Tracked Robot 10-ton…" A clean product hero pairing Epirus with General Dynamics Land Systems — a prime-contractor stamp on a startup's hardware."
"Verbatim intro: "Safety through software. The Leonidas HPM platform's software-defined architecture allows…" A brand-positioning film built on three words that address the buyer's real objection to directed energy — collateral and safety. One differentiator, stated plainly."
"Verbatim intro: "Last day to see Leonidas AR on display at Association of the United States Army…" A photo of the Leonidas AR at Epirus's AUSA booth — geo-/audience-targeted event presence that drives the in-person meetings where defense deals actually happen."
"Verbatim intro: "Interested in meeting with Epirus leadership to discuss non-kinetic counter-UAS defeat? Reach out to schedule a meeting." An event ad with a booth-map graphic and a direct 'Request Demo' — turning a conference into booked leadership meetings, the highest-value action for this buyer."
"A personalized 'Follow Company' dynamic ad ('%FIRSTNAME%, explore relevant opportunities with Epirus'). Beneath the brand and proof campaigns, Epirus also runs low-cost dynamic ads to grow its follower base and recruit in a competitive defense-talent market."
All creatives shown belong to Epirus, Inc. (the counter-drone directed-energy company behind the Leonidas HPM system) and are reproduced verbatim from the LinkedIn Ad Library for commentary and analysis; the unrelated 'Epirus Palace' hotel of the same name is excluded. Epirus's ads are paid for by Epirus, Inc. (in-house). Ads reproduce third-party journalism from Axios (Colin Demarest), Reuters (Mike Stone) and Fox News Sunday, and co-brand with partners General Dynamics Land Systems, Singapore's DSTA/MINDEF and Digital Force Technologies, as shown in Epirus's own creative. Epirus was built in place of Applied Intuition, whose LinkedIn library is video-dominated with unrenderable posters. Digital Astronauts is not affiliated with Epirus.
Nearly half of Epirus's account is earned media — Axios, Reuters and Fox run verbatim as ads. For a skeptical, high-scrutiny buyer, a reporter's or analyst's words are far more persuasive than the vendor's own, so the ad's job is just to amplify them.
Epirus runs redacted sensor footage of real swarm-defeat engagements and hard test data (61/61 disabled). When you can demonstrate the product working, video evidence beats any claim — and it's memorable in a feed.
Co-branded ads with General Dynamics, Singapore's DSTA/MINDEF and Digital Force Technologies borrow the trust of established institutions — the fastest way for a startup to look fielded and de-risked to a government buyer.
Much of the account exists to drive one action: an in-person meeting at AUSA or Sea Air Space. For high-consideration defense sales, a booked booth meeting is the real conversion, and the ads are engineered for it.
'The Sixth Domain' and 'Software-Defined. Low Collateral. Safe.' give Epirus ownable language that frames the whole threat around its solution — and answers the buyer's core objection (collateral risk) before it's raised.
We build LinkedIn and paid programs for high-consideration B2B and space & defense tech buyers — measured on pipeline, not impressions.
Book a free ad auditWith a compact, credibility-first in-house program (~25 live ads, paid for by Epirus, Inc.). It leans heavily on earned media run verbatim (Axios, Reuters, Fox News), operational test footage, co-branded partnership ads (GDLS, Singapore's DSTA, DFT), trade-show and meeting-booking ads, and dynamic Follow-Company ads for audience and talent growth.
That its Leonidas high-power microwave system is a proven, software-defined, low-collateral answer to the drone-swarm threat — 'The Sixth Domain' — validated by independent press, live test results, allied governments and prime contractors.
Because for a skeptical defense buyer, third-party validation is the most persuasive proof. Reprinting Axios, Reuters and Fox coverage lets independent journalists make the credibility argument, and ties Epirus to policy tailwinds like Pentagon acquisition reform.
In a high-scrutiny category, borrow credibility instead of asserting it: amplify earned media, show real proof on video, co-brand with trusted institutions, engineer ads to book in-person meetings, and own a category phrase that frames the problem around your solution.