Saronic raises $175M in Series B funding for autonomous surface vessels

Saronic Technologies last week said it had raised $175 million in Series B funding, placing its valuation at $1 billion. The designer and manufacturer of autonomous surface vessels, or ASVs, for defense missions said it plans to use the investment to accelerate its growth both domestically and internationally.

“We are creating an entirely new capability for the maritime domain, one that delivers naval power without the costs and delays of a shipyard,” stated Dino Mavrookas, CEO of Saronic. “As the future of naval warfare will rely on manned and unmanned teaming, we must build solutions that easily integrate into the existing fleet and can be produced at scale to meet any emerging threat. We are grateful to our investment partners who believe so strongly in Saronic’s ability to meet that need.”

Founded in 2022, Saronic said it is “redefining 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 Austin, Texas-based company claimed that its robotic vessels can serve as a “force multiplier” for the existing fleet, working alongside crewed systems and allowing naval forces to go farther and do more with less risk to life and mission.

ASVs extend navy reach while reducing risk

Saronic’s lineup of ASVs includes the 6-ft. (1.8-m) Spyglass, the 14-ft. (4.2-m) Cutlass, and Corsair, its largest model, which is currently in development and testing. Each vessel features integrated autonomous capabilities to meet customer requirements and can carry diverse payloads in communication- and GPS-denied environments.

The vertical integration of hardware and software, as well as the use of a modular open systems architecture (MOSA) provides interoperability at an attritable price point, according to Saronic. The company claimed that its ASVs provide cost-effective capabilities that help avoid putting human operators in harm’s way.

The use of automated vessels can also increase the survivability of the fleet and allow commanders to take risks that would be too high to take with crewed systems, Saronic said.

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Saronic investors drive military innovation

Saronic said its investors are committed to ensuring that the U.S. military maintains its decisive advantage in the face of an increasingly complex and competitive global threat landscape. The group supports the “integration of advanced technology and innovative capabilities that truly meet the needs of the warfighter,” it asserted.

Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) led Saronic’s Series B round, with participation from new and existing investors including including 8VC, Caffeinated Capital, Elad Gil, and NightDragon, among others.

“Our nation’s future depends on us continuing to build and deploy the best, most innovative technology” said Katherine Boyle, general partner at a16z. “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.”

Saronic said it will further expand its in-house manufacturing capabilities to increase production of all its ASV models. The company will also continue research and development for new autonomous capabilities for naval and maritime forces. This will include increased technology and payload integration with government and commercial partners.

Internationally, Saronic plans to use its latest investment to expand its services to U.S. allies and partners in key markets.

“To deter China and other adversaries, the United States and our allies must bring intelligent, autonomous new capabilities to naval warfare,” said Alex Moore, partner at 8VC. “Saronic delivers these capabilities on a relevant scale and timeline, and [it] has enlisted the top engineers and operators in the industry.”