Top Defense companies
Ranked by total raised · 25 of 55 on the roster · Updated Oct 27, 2026
Together these 25 have raised $32.1B. SpaceX leads with $7.4B, followed by Anduril Industries ($6.3B) and Saronic ($2.6B).
- #01
SpaceXSpaceX manufactures rockets and satellites, operates the Starlink constellation, and provides launch services for government and defense missions.
Space & ISR · Secondary $1.3B
Space & ISRSecondary$1.3BHQ - #02
Anduril IndustriesAnduril builds autonomous systems, AI-powered defense platforms, and software infrastructure including Lattice OS for military and border security applications.
Autonomous Systems & Software-Defined Primes · Series G $2.5BAutonomous Systems & Software-Defined PrimesSeries G$2.5BHQ - #03
SaronicSaronic builds autonomous surface and undersea vessels for distributed maritime warfare and ISR using AI and low-cost manufacturing.
Maritime & Undersea Systems · Series D $1.8BMaritime & Undersea SystemsSeries D$1.8BHQ
- #04
Shield AIShield AI develops autonomous AI pilots (Hivemind) for drones and fighter jets, enabling GPS- and communications-denied operations.
Autonomous Systems & Software-Defined Primes · Series G $1.5BAutonomous Systems & Software-Defined PrimesSeries G$1.5BHQ - #05
HadrianHadrian builds automated precision machining factories and Factory-as-a-Service production cells that manufacture tight-tolerance aerospace and defense components for primes and startups.
Propulsion & Manufacturing · Series D $1.4BPropulsion & ManufacturingSeries D$1.4BHQ - #06
CastelionCastelion develops Blackbeard, a long-range hypersonic strike weapon designed for mass production with vertically integrated propulsion and guidance systems for naval aviation platforms.
Propulsion & Manufacturing · Series C $1BPropulsion & ManufacturingSeries C$1BHQ - #07
Applied IntuitionApplied Intuition provides simulation, autonomy, and ADAS software tooling for automotive OEMs and increasingly defense autonomy programs.
Software & AI Platforms · Series F $600MSoftware & AI PlatformsSeries F$600MHQ - #08
Archer AviationArcher Aviation manufactures electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft for urban air mobility and defense logistics.
Hypersonics & Advanced Air Mobility · IPO $1.1BHypersonics & Advanced Air MobilityIPO$1.1BHQ - #09
Mach IndustriesMach Industries designs and manufactures low-cost autonomous aircraft and munitions for U.S. defense, including counter-drone interceptors and long-range strike systems.
Propulsion & Manufacturing · Series D $600MPropulsion & ManufacturingSeries D$600MHQ - #10
True AnomalyTrue Anomaly develops autonomous spacecraft for space domain awareness, orbital pursuit, and defense against hostile satellites.
Space & ISR · Series D $650MSpace & ISRSeries D$650MHQ - #11
Chaos IndustriesChaos Industries builds networked radar and sensing systems for airspace defense — its Coherent Distributed Networks (CDN) tie together many low-cost nodes to detect drones, missiles, and aircraft far earlier than legacy radar. It raised a $510M Series D in November 2025 at a reported $4.5B valuation.
Counter-UAS & Directed Energy · Series D $510MCounter-UAS & Directed EnergySeries D$510MHQ - #12
HelsingHelsing builds AI-driven software for defense decision-making, sensor fusion, and autonomous systems for European and NATO militaries.
Software & AI Platforms · Series C $486M
Software & AI PlatformsSeries C$486MHQ - #13
SkydioSkydio designs and manufactures autonomous drones with computer vision and AI for defense, public safety, and enterprise inspection.
Drones & Loitering Munitions · Series F $110MDrones & Loitering MunitionsSeries F$110MHQ - #14
EpirusEpirus develops high-power microwave (HPM) directed energy weapons for drone defense and electronic warfare using solid-state, software-defined RF systems.
Counter-UAS & Directed Energy · Series D $250MCounter-UAS & Directed EnergySeries D$250MHQ - #15
HermeusHermeus is developing Mach 5+ hypersonic aircraft for defense and commercial applications using turbine-based combined cycle engines.
Hypersonics & Advanced Air Mobility · Series C $350MHypersonics & Advanced Air MobilitySeries C$350MHQ - #16
Varda Space IndustriesVarda Space Industries operates autonomous orbital manufacturing capsules that crystallize pharmaceuticals and materials in microgravity, then reenter and land on demand.
Space & ISR · Series C $250MSpace & ISRSeries C$250MHQ - #17
Apex SpaceApex Space designs and manufactures satellite bus platforms for low-Earth orbit constellations, serving U.S. defense and intelligence agencies.
Space & ISR · Series C $250MSpace & ISRSeries C$250MHQ - #18
RegentRegent builds the Viceroy Seaglider, an all-electric wing-in-ground-effect vehicle for high-speed over-water transit of passengers and cargo, with military variants under development for U.S. defense applications.
Maritime & Undersea Systems · Growth $240MMaritime & Undersea SystemsGrowth$240MHQ - #19
Ursa MajorUrsa Major designs and manufactures rocket engines and hypersonic propulsion systems for defense, commercial space, and missile applications.
Propulsion & Manufacturing · Series E $100MPropulsion & ManufacturingSeries E$100MHQ - #20
Rocket LabRocket Lab flies the small-lift Electron rocket, is developing the reusable medium-lift Neutron, and builds satellites and spacecraft components.
Launch Vehicles · IPO (SPAC)Launch VehiclesIPO (SPAC)—HQ - #21
Shift5Shift5 provides cybersecurity and data analytics for operational technology (OT) in military aircraft, ships, and ground vehicles.
Software & AI Platforms · Series C $75MSoftware & AI PlatformsSeries C$75MHQ - #22
Red 6Red 6 creates augmented reality training systems for fighter pilots, projecting synthetic threats into real-world flight using AR headsets.
Training & Simulation · Series B $70MTraining & SimulationSeries B$70MHQ - #23
Vannevar LabsVannevar Labs builds AI-powered data integration and search tools for intelligence analysts and defense operators across classified networks.
Software & AI Platforms · Series B $75MSoftware & AI PlatformsSeries B$75MHQ - #24
AeroVironmentAeroVironment manufactures small tactical drones (Switchblade, Puma, Raven) and loitering munitions for reconnaissance and precision strike.
Drones & Loitering Munitions · IPO $80.5MDrones & Loitering MunitionsIPO$80.5MHQ - #25
Slingshot AerospaceSlingshot Aerospace provides space domain awareness, satellite tracking, and data analytics software for government and commercial space operators.
Space & ISR · Series A $40.9MSpace & ISRSeries A$40.9MHQ