Andreessen Horowitz’s Post

Saronic Technologies's Leap into the Future with Andreessen Horowitz" This is exciting news about the industry! Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) has made a significant investment in Saronic, a pioneering company in the field of autonomous surface vessels (ASVs). This $175 million Series B funding round not only places Saronic at a valuation of $1 billion but also marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of maritime technology. Saronic's mission is to redefine maritime superiority for the U.S. Navy and its allies by delivering the most effective and advanced ASVs at the speed and scale needed to meet the rapidly growing needs of the Joint Force. The company's lineup, including the Spyglass and Cutlass ASVs, combines best-in-class hardware, software, and AI to accomplish critical maritime missions. These ASVs serve as a force multiplier for existing fleets, allowing naval forces to extend their reach and capabilities while reducing risks to human life and mission integrity Andreessen Horowitz's investment underscores the importance of integrating advanced technology and innovative capabilities to meet the evolving needs of the warfighter. As Katherine Boyle, General Partner at a16z, stated, “Saronic is developing the solutions we need to protect the warfighter and stay ahead of our adversaries, and we are proud to support their continued growth This investment is not just about funding; it's about accelerating the path forward for maritime autonomy. Saronic's commitment to vertical integration, modular open systems architecture (MOSA), and a focus on attritable price points makes their technology accessible and scalable. This approach is essential in ensuring that the U.S. Navy and allied forces are equipped to face emerging threats with innovative solutions that can be rapidly deployed The future of naval warfare will increasingly rely on manned and unmanned teaming, and Saronic is at the forefront of this transformation. By delivering autonomous capabilities that can operate in communication- and GPS-denied environments, Saronic is providing a critical edge in maintaining maritime security and operational superiority. https://lnkd.in/dR3MY3WA #MaritimeSecurity #AutonomousVessels #Innovation #DefenseTechnology #USV #ASV #AndreessenHorowitz #Saronic

They say the first five years is the most crucial period for a company. For those who take the journey, truly understand why. On February 13, 2024, Marine Thinking celebrates its sixth anniversary. The past five years of success, failure, and learning has been an incredible experience, allowing us to apply our autonomous vessel technology to a wide range of marine applications. What started as a small 4-person team in Saint John’s, NB has turned into a leading Canadian company that can work with naval architects, marine engineers, and shipbuilders to integrate a full suite of automated features into their vessels. Entering Year Six, we find ourselves with a greater sense of purpose and drive as we participate in NATO’s inaugural Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) programme. Under the “sensing and surveillance” category, we’ll be developing solutions to address critical dual-use challenges — civilian and defence. To learn more about our short but innovative history, we invite you to visit our 6th year anniversary page which highlights some of the important milestones that have helped define Marine Thinking: https://lnkd.in/edDzfES3 To our former Marine Thinking team members, thank you for helping us get here. And to our current teammates, partners, and supporters, we know the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Let’s see how much we can achieve before the 10th anniversary.       #anniversary #technology #automation #vessels #boats

🇺🇦🇺🇸 A group of Ukrainian and American companies and tech solutions experts have launched Mits Capital to develop Ukraine’s defense capabilities by investing in small tech companies. The international defense accelerator will offer startups an investment of $200,000, split evenly for direct investment in the companies and expertise provided by American University Kyiv. Its supervisory board is led by Co-Chairs Dr. Phillip Karber, president of The Potomac Foundation, and Ernest Herold, former NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Defense Investment. Read more about the program on this article I wrote for The Defense Post 👉🏽: https://lnkd.in/gUHWN6Vg #ukraine #US #USA #tech #techstartups #techstartup #business #europe #defense

As Zen Technologies unveils one another Cutting-Edge Weaponry, the enthusiasm amongst the MSME and Startups must get yet another boost. These early leaders have demonstrated resilience and have painfully traversed the dreaded valley of death, which earlier prevented the small companies to succeed! With #iDEX support getting expanded in size, value and scope, the entry into the #Defence Ecosystem is much less daunting than imagined. #MakeinIndia #IndiameansOpportunity

Pentagon says $1 billion planned for first two years of Replicator Read more on the link below. #defense #sbir #military #jointwerx @jointwerx @blackhaysgroup #governmentcontracts #smallbusiness #entrepreneurship #venturecapital #consulting #strategy #leanstartups #startup #growthhacking

Silicon Valley's New Mission: Revolutionizing U.S. Defense or America is not ready for the wars of the future 💫 The Big Picture: The U.S. 🇺🇸 military is facing unprecedented challenges in rapidly evolving conflict domains. & traditional defense industry is struggling to innovate at the pace of global 🌍 threats. Tech startups and venture capitalists are becoming crucial players in national security. 💫 Why It Matters: #Startups bring agility and cutting-edge #innovation to defense challenges. #VCs accelerate the development of critical military technologies. Public-private partnerships create new pathways for military modernization. 💫 Some Examples: ⚡️ #AI startups are developing predictive analytics for strategic decision-making. ⚡️VC-backed firms are pioneering advanced materials for next-gen protective gear. ⚡️Tech incubators are fostering dual-use technologies with military applications. The startup ecosystem, including venture capital and innovation hubs, is playing an increasingly vital role in addressing U.S. military challenges. This shift highlights the potential for agile, innovative approaches from the tech sector to enhance national defense efforts. 💫 Dive deeper into Eric Schmidt and General Mark Milley’s (former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff) super insightful article in Foreign Affairs Magazine: https://lnkd.in/desMissJ #Innovation #NationalSecurity #TechLeadership #Startups #VentureCapital #DefenseIndustry #InnovationEcosystem #Leadership #TechTalent #Futurism

The Wall Street Journal highlights Hermeus with many truth nuggets about hypersonic innovation and the defense market. As the article explains, we're developing cutting-edge hypersonic technology that will enhance national security. Commercial startups like Hermeus are creating breakthroughs and outpacing traditional defense contractors because we embrace smart risks and learn through a rapid iteration cycle. Check out the article for cool photos of our factory and aircraft. (And a shoutout to a great former colleague, Bryon Hargis!)

I love the mission at Hadrian to scale U.S. defense manufacturing. Not sure exactly what they are doing that is so unique other than deploying their own software and using automation. But that is the point -- this is clearly the way to build the defense industrial base for the future. A $500 million valuation -- backed by $180 million from investors like Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund and Lux Capital -- for a company that only did $3 million revenue last year may seem extreme. But Chris Power "expects to increase that number 10-fold this year, reaching at least $30 million." Plus, Hadrian’s software-enabled factory can "make spaceflight-grade parts 10 times faster and more than 40% more efficiently than legacy manufacturers" and they plan to grow their highly automated plants to locations across the country. #defensetech #defenseindustry #defenseinnovation https://lnkd.in/eD7pVzv7

⚡ Millions of dollars for the development of Ukrainian defense tech! Ukrainian company Swarmer, specializing in AI solutions for coordinating drone swarms, has secured $2.7 million in foreign investment to advance its technology. The investors include the American defense tech company R-G.AI, as well as venture funds Radius Capital Ventures, Green Flag Ventures, and D3. With this funding, Swarmer will be able to enhance its drone autonomy technologies, which are already actively used by security and defense forces. These solutions make drones resilient to enemy electronic warfare and capable of coordinating attacks against adversaries wherever they may be. The company met some of its investors during Invest Demo Days, regularly organized by Brave1. During these events, Ukrainian developers pitch their projects to domestic and international investors to attract funding for their development. Swarmer had also previously received a grant of 2 million UAH from Brave1 to further develop its solution. To foster more success stories, Brave1 is organizing the largest investment summit on Ukrainian defense tech – Defense Tech Valley – on October 3-4. You can register for the summit and learn more about it at: https://lnkd.in/dVs85g2n Investing in Ukrainian defense innovations = Investing in the security of democracy.

First a bit of news: this month’s newsletter is half as long! We’re switching to a twice-a-month cadence that will feature our reported feature, "The Big Idea," at the end of the month and the "Five Ways to Think About…" feature mid-month. We’ll keep the shorter features, "Advances That Matter" and "Long Reads," in every issue. This month’s feature looks at a surge in spending on so-called dual-use defense technologies that can be deployed for both military and commercial purposes. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and tensions between China and the West have lent a new urgency to defense innovation, and because militaries are not known for their lightning quick adoption of new technologies, finding a civilian market is often a first step for startups needing early revenue. Read our latest monthly newsletter for more. Image Credit: Ian Lyman / Midjourney https://lnkd.in/dbjkvzxd