Mach Industries raises $300M at $1.8B valuation to scale autonomous defense production

Mach Industries has raised another $300 million in a deal that values the defense startup at $1.8 billion, marking a roughly fourfold increase in less than a year, according to TechCrunch and Bloomberg. The funding round underscores investor appetite for companies building military and security technology as the Pentagon and allied forces expand interest in autonomous systems.

The company, founded and led by 22-year-old Ethan Thornton, has become one of the most closely watched names in defense tech. TechCrunch reported that Mach already has five autonomous vehicles in development and has completed a major acquisition, while Bloomberg said the latest financing is intended to help ramp up production of its autonomous aircraft, strike systems and other equipment for defense customers.