AI-driven defense startup Anduril Industries is reportedly in discussions for a new funding round that could elevate its valuation to $28 billion, according to sources. Tech billionaire Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund will lead the round. It could raise to $2.5 billion, highlighting strong investor interest in the rapidly growing defense tech firm. This discussion comes just months after Anduril’s previous $1.5 billion funding round in August, which valued the company at $14 billion.
Founders Fund has supported Anduril since its inception in 2017, with one of the startup’s co-founders, Trae Stephens, also serving as a partner at the firm. Based in Costa Mesa, California, Anduril specializes in developing autonomous weapons integrated with various sensors, including drones. Last month, the company announced plans to establish a large-scale weapons manufacturing facility in central Ohio, utilizing its funding to expand production capabilities.
In 2023, Anduril introduced Lattice for Mission Autonomy, an AI-powered software designed to coordinate teams of autonomous systems under human oversight during missions.
Before founding Anduril, Palmer Luckey was known for creating Oculus VR, the virtual reality company that Facebook acquired for $2.3 billion in 2014.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance previously invested in Anduril as a venture capitalist and still holds shares in the company, according to his filings. Meanwhile, Peter Thiel, who co-founded military tech firm Palantir, has been a longtime Republican donor, supporting Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Vance’s 2022 Senate run.
