Hadrian Automation Inc., the Torrance-based advanced manufacturing startup, raised a whopping $1.37 billion in a series D round in early August,
putting the six-year-old company’s valuation at nearly $7.9 billion.
The round was co-led by Laguna Beach-based WCM Investment, Valor Equity Partners, 137 Ventures, Washington Harbour Partners and Baillie Gifford.
Hadrian builds artificial intelligence-powered factories that are automated to mass-produce bespoke parts for the aerospace sector and military complex. The company’s software can ingest an illustration of a part, decode the programmatic of making it, and create a step-by-step process to make that component as effectively as possible. The company can maximize usage of its machines, ensuring nothing is sitting idle on the factory floor.
As the U.S. continues to rapidly build an arsenal of cutting-edge space and wartime systems, domestic manufacturing capabilities and companies like Hadrian are becoming an increasingly important part of the country’s national security strategy.
“Production is now the frontline of deterrence,” Chris Power, founder and chief executive of Hadrian, said in a statement. “America’s ability to lead will depend on whether we can build, train, and scale faster.”
Investor confidence
The new advanced manufacturing companies in the U.S. – injected with artificial intelligence, robotics and automation – have seen a record level of investment this year, according to PitchBook. The vertical raised $51.3 billion so far in 2026, making up 62% of worldwide funding into the sector this year.
“There is a confidence of investor money that is available in this space, a general willingness on the part of the commercial side and on the government side to invest more in onshoring,” said Jenness Simler, senior vice president of public policy at Hadrian. “Policy changes in the government, like restricting adversary components, creates additional demand. So, this investment is happening in the context of a really strong pull signal for manufacturing in this country.”
Torrance-based Divergent Technologies Inc. is doing away with the traditional casting and stamping model to build weapons parts for the U.S. military. The company uses a homebrewed source code, engineered materials and a proprietary 3D printer to scale manufacturing a chassis from years to days.
Machina, a manufacturing company based in Chatsworth, builds foldable, movable robotic factories armed with its RoboCraftsman robots to manipulate and shape sheets of metal. Carson-based GrayMatter Robotics Inc. automates many cosmetic manufacturing tasks, like polishing, sanding and coating things from guitars to fighter jets.
