Insider Brief
- Hadrian raised $1.37 billion in Series D funding at a $7.87 billion valuation to expand its network of highly automated U.S. factories serving defense, aerospace and industrial customers.
- The round was co-led by WCM Investment Management, Washington Harbour Partners, Valor Equity Partners, 137 Ventures and Baillie Gifford, with JPMorganChase’s Strategic Investment Group joining as an anchor co-lead.
- Hadrian plans to use the funding to open additional factories, expand R&D and add production capabilities in areas including munitions, shipbuilding and autonomous systems, while continuing to hire and train technical workers.
Hadrian has announced $1.37 billion in new equity financing at a $7.87 billion valuation to expand its network of highly automated U.S. factories and add production capacity for defense, aerospace and other industrial systems.
According to Hadrian, the Series D round was co-led by WCM Investment Management, Washington Harbour Partners, Valor Equity Partners, 137 Ventures and Baillie Gifford. JPMorganChase’s Strategic Investment Group joined as an anchor co-lead through the firm’s Security and Resiliency Initiative.
The round also included 1789 Capital, Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, funds managed by Apollo, accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, CapitalG, Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, Altimeter and Construct Capital, along with existing investors.
Hadrian said it will use the funding to open additional factories, expand research and development and add production capabilities as it moves beyond precision components toward manufacturing complete systems. The company is targeting areas including munitions, shipbuilding and autonomous systems.
“Production is now the frontline of deterrence,” founder and CEO Chris Power said in the announcement. “America’s ability to lead will depend on whether we can build, train, and scale faster. This financing allows Hadrian to accelerate building the Factories of the Future, expand into new mission-critical production capabilities, and invest in the technicians and engineers who will rebuild America’s industrial base.”
Factories-as-a-Service
Founded around a model it calls “Factories-as-a-Service,” Hadrian uses process engineering, AI and robotics to operate automated manufacturing plants designed to increase production capacity more quickly than conventional factories. The company is focused on building domestic manufacturing capacity for industries where demand has outpaced available U.S. production, such as defense, aerospace and industrial customers that require tightly controlled supply chains and domestic manufacturing.
Hadrian reported rapid expansion since its Series C financing a year ago. The company said it has opened factories in Mesa, Ariz., and Muscle Shoals, Ala., bringing its manufacturing footprint to just under 3 million square feet across four sites.
Over the next year, Hadrian plans to launch additional factories and introduce new production lines, including systems for munitions and autonomous platforms, according to the company.
Workforce Training and Technician Equity
Hadrian is also expanding its workforce alongside its physical footprint. The company said it is hiring and training operators, engineers and technical workers to work in factories where robotics and software handle more of the production process.
The company is also offering what it describes as technician equity, giving some manufacturing workers a financial stake in the business. Hadrian said the approach is intended to broaden participation in the growth of its factory network as production expands.
