MATTEO BASTREGHI
Head of Finance
Machina Labs
Matteo Bastreghi is the only finance professional at Machina Labs, meaning he owns all financial operations for the company. His work over the past 18 months has centered on two things: building out the financial infrastructure and leading a $124 million fundraise.
The fundraise was a combination of equity and debt. Bastreghi worked alongside the CEO on the equity side and led the debt financing independently. The process was complex – he engaged a broad range of lenders spanning equipment financing, venture debt, and sale-leaseback structures. Many lenders were hesitant given the company’s stage of growth and the scale of the planned manufacturing expansion. Working with a well-connected broker, Bastreghi narrowed the field to a small group of contenders who visited Machina’s facilities before ultimately selecting a financing partner. The structure they landed on was venture debt, which covered both the equipment needs and the operational cash flow required to run the new facility. It also offered an interest-only period in the early years with the ability to pay down principal later – important given where the company is in its growth cycle. The debt financing specifically funds a new production facility dedicated to production-scale aerospace and defense manufacturing. A major focus of Bastreghi’s tenure has been helping Machina transition from a company primarily focused on research and development projects to one supporting production-scale aerospace and defense manufacturing. Under his financial stewardship, the company is now opening a new manufacturing facility dedicated to supporting its first major production program, marking an important milestone in the commercialization of its technology.
