Defense technology startup Anduril raises $1.48B in funding - SiliconANGLE News

Anduril Industries Inc., a defence exertion startup launched successful 2017 by Oculus VR Inc. laminitis Palmer Luckey, has raised a $1.48 cardinal backing round.

The Series E circular values Anduril astatine $8.48 billion, Axios reported today. Valor Equity Partners led the investment. It was joined by much than a twelve different investors including Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst and Lightspeed Ventures.

Rumors of Anduril’s latest backing circular first emerged successful May. Previously, the institution past June closed a $450 cardinal Series D backing round. Anduril has raised a full of $1.9 cardinal from investors since motorboat according to Crunchbase. 

Anduril was launched successful 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the laminitis of virtual world headset shaper Oculus VR. Oculus VR was acquired successful 2014 by Meta Platforms Inc., past Facebook Inc., for $2 billion. The exertion that Meta obtained done acquisition aboriginal became portion of its metaverse business, which makes virtual world headsets and related bundle products.

Anduril develops defence systems for the U.S. and allied nations. The startup’s products reportedly scope from surveillance towers to drones. The institution besides sells a bundle platform, called Lattice, that tin cod sensor information from aggregate defence systems and marque it disposable to subject unit done a centralized interface.

The bundle marketplace is simply a peculiarly large absorption country for Anduril. According to the Financial Times, astir of the startup’s engineers enactment connected its Lattice platform.

In February, Anduril expanded its absorption to naval vessels by acquiring Dive Technologies Inc., a startup focused connected processing autonomous underwater vehicles. A fewer months later, Anduril received a $100 cardinal declaration to make 3 prototype robot submarines for the Royal Australian Navy.

Anduril has besides won aggregate different defence contracts since its launch. In January, the startup reportedly won a astir $1 cardinal declaration to supply counter-drone instrumentality and bundle to the U.S. Special Operations Command. Anduril’s counter-drone exertion has besides been purchased by the U.S. Defense Department’s Defense Innovation Unit.

The Financial Times reported contiguous that Anduril generates  “hundreds of millions of dollars” successful yearly revenue. The startup reportedly works with aggregate branches of the U.S. subject arsenic good arsenic a fractional twelve allied nations. 

According to Axios, Anduril’s latest $1.48 cardinal rise is the 2nd largest backing of the twelvemonth aft the $1.725 cardinal concern that SpaceX Corp. reportedly closed successful May. The second concern is said to person valued SpaceX astatine astir $127 billion. Also successful May, SpaceX held a secondary merchantability done which existing investors and employees sold up to $750 cardinal successful stock.  

Photo: Anduril Industries