Austin Startup Raises $1.75B to Revive US Shipbuilding

A Texas robotics company is bringing American shipbuilding back to life with a massive investment and a bold vision for autonomous vessels.

Saronic Technologies announced it raised $1.75 billion in Series D funding, bringing its total value to $9.25 billion. The Austin-based startup builds autonomous ships designed to operate without crews, using artificial intelligence and cutting-edge manufacturing techniques.

The company's mission tackles a real problem. Over recent decades, the United States lost much of its ability to build ships domestically. Saronic is reversing that trend by combining modern software design with expanded production facilities.

CEO Dino Mavrookas says the company is creating "a fundamentally new model of American shipbuilding" that delivers autonomous vessels with unprecedented speed and precision. The new funding will help Saronic scale production on a timeline not seen since World War II.

The investment comes from Kleiner Perkins and other major venture firms. It will accelerate development of Port Alpha, a next-generation shipyard, plus rapid expansion of existing facilities in Louisiana and Texas.

Saronic's momentum is already impressive. In 2025, the company secured a $392 million production contract with the U.S. Navy and completed its first Marauder hull in under six months.

The company acquired a Louisiana shipyard and committed $300 million to expand it by 300,000 square feet. That expansion will create 1,500 jobs across the region.

Saronic also expanded its Austin headquarters to over 500,000 square feet and opened new offices in San Diego and Washington, D.C. The company now employs more than 1,300 people and has launched operations in the United Kingdom and Australia.

The Ripple Effect

The impact extends beyond just building boats. Saronic's approach is creating manufacturing jobs in communities that need them while strengthening national maritime capabilities.

The company builds vessels ranging from the 24-foot Corsair to the 180-foot Marauder. These autonomous ships can handle missions with greater range, endurance, and capacity than traditional vessels.

Partner Ilya Fushman from Kleiner Perkins emphasized what makes this special: "They're building both autonomous ships designed from Day 1 to push boundaries, and the manufacturing infrastructure to produce them consistently."

Saronic is proving that American manufacturing innovation isn't just alive, it's leading the world into a new era of maritime technology while bringing good jobs home.