$260 Million Series C Fuels Hadrian's Push for U.S. Defense Manufacturing Supremacy

Hadrian, a defense manufacturing startup, has successfully closed a $260 million Series C funding round, co-led by Peter Thiel's Founders Fund and Lux Capital. This significant investment aims to accelerate the company's mission of re-industrializing American manufacturing through advanced automation and AI-powered factories, particularly for the defense sector. The funding will support major expansions and enhance capabilities in critical areas like shipbuilding and naval defense.

The substantial capital infusion will finance the construction of a new 270,000-square-foot facility, dubbed "Factory 3," in Mesa, Arizona, expected to be operational by early 2026. Additionally, Hadrian plans to expand its existing Torrance, California, location and establish a new corporate headquarters. These expansions are projected to create 350 new local jobs in Mesa and support the rapid scaling of production.

CEO Chris Power emphasized the strategic importance of this development, stating that Hadrian's approach is about "supercharging the worker versus replacing them" through robotics and artificial intelligence. The company aims to train workers within 30 days, making them significantly more productive, addressing the critical lack of skilled personnel in U.S. manufacturing. Power views the current state of U.S. manufacturing as a "national security crisis."

An early investor, identified as "delian" on social media, expressed enthusiasm for co-leading the round and joining Hadrian's board. > "We originally led Chris' seed round in early '21 when no one was talking about the need for automated factories," the investor stated in the tweet. > "Now in 2025, defense re-industrialization is the consensus topic & Hadrian is THE manufacturing platform!" This highlights the growing recognition of Hadrian's vision.

Hadrian, founded in 2020, has now raised over $500 million in total funding, demonstrating a rapid growth trajectory with a reported tenfold increase in revenue last year. The company is also launching dedicated divisions, starting with Hadrian Maritime, and plans for future initiatives in munitions, missile systems, and uncrewed aerial systems, further solidifying its "Factories-as-a-Service" business model.