Saronic Technologies has secured $600 million in a Series C funding round, bringing its valuation to $4 billion. The round was led by investor Elad Gil, with participation from General Catalyst and existing investors such as Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Caffeinated Capital, and 8VC. The funding, which comes seven months after Saronic reached unicorn status, will support the company’s efforts to expand autonomous shipbuilding capabilities in the United States.
Saronic plans to use the capital to develop Port Alpha, a shipyard designed to produce autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) at scale. The facility will enable the company to expand its ASV fleet into medium and large-class autonomous ships for defense applications. Saronic positions this initiative as a response to what it sees as gaps in U.S. shipbuilding capacity and an effort to bolster the U.S. military’s transition toward a hybrid fleet that integrates unmanned systems with traditional manned platforms.
CEO and Co-Founder Dino Mavrookas stated that Port Alpha would be designed for efficiency and scalability, aiming to match the production speed of historical U.S. shipbuilding efforts. He emphasized that the project would create opportunities for the domestic shipbuilding workforce and leverage public-private partnerships to accelerate growth in the sector.
Investor Elad Gil cited concerns about the decline in U.S. shipbuilding capacity as a motivation for backing Saronic, describing the company’s work as essential for national defense. General Catalyst Managing Director Paul Kwan highlighted the role of unmanned systems as force multipliers in modern conflict, while 8VC’s Joe Lonsdale characterized Saronic as one of the most critical companies for U.S. national security.
The announcement follows a year of expansion for Saronic, including the development of its largest ASV model, Corsair; the acquisition of a 420,000-square-foot production facility in Austin, Texas; and a successful Series B funding round. The company continues to grow its engagements with U.S. government customers as it scales production of autonomous maritime systems.
