Hadrian Secures $260 Million To Expand AI-Driven Defense Manufacturing In California And Arizona
By Jonathan Eberle |
Hadrian, a fast-growing advanced manufacturing company specializing in AI-powered production, recently announced it has raised $260 million in fresh capital and will significantly expand its operations in California and Arizona. The move comes as the U.S. defense sector seeks to bolster domestic industrial capacity amid heightened global competition.
The latest funding round, a Series C led by Founders Fund and Lux Capital with additional financing arranged by Morgan Stanley, will finance new facilities, expanded research and development capabilities, and dedicated production for naval defense. In total, Hadrian plans to add nearly five football fields’ worth of manufacturing space.
Company founder and CEO Chris Power said the investment reflects both urgency and opportunity. “America cannot afford to lose another generation of industrial capacity,” Power said. “China is making massive bets on industrial dominance. The United States needs to respond not just with policy, but with production. That’s what Hadrian is here to do.”
At the center of the announcement is Hadrian’s planned Factory 3 (F3) in Mesa. The 270,000-square-foot facility represents a $200 million investment and is expected to create 350 new jobs. The site will serve as both a large-scale production plant and a software hub, with operations slated to begin by January 2026.
Arizona officials welcomed the project as a boost to the state’s growing role in aerospace and defense. Governor Katie Hobbs called Arizona “at the heart of America’s national defense,” while Mesa Mayor Mark Freeman described the investment as proof of the city’s status as a national hub for advanced manufacturing.
“Hadrian’s presence marks a major step forward in strengthening America’s industrial base,” Freeman said.
Alongside the Mesa facility, Hadrian is preparing to establish a new 400,000-square-foot corporate and R&D headquarters to support what it described as the “rapid hiring of thousands” in the coming years.
Hadrian emphasizes speed as a key differentiator. Powered by its proprietary Opus software, the company says it can launch new factories in under six months, a pace far quicker than traditional manufacturing buildouts.
Economic development leaders in Arizona say the company’s decision reinforces the state’s attractiveness to high-tech industries. “Greater Phoenix is known internationally as a hub for innovation, and Hadrian is leveraging the region’s advantages for its transformative F3 in Mesa,” said Chris Camacho, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council.
Hadrian positions itself as a cornerstone of a broader effort to restore America’s manufacturing base, with a particular focus on defense production. Its model blends automation, AI, robotics, and machine learning with traditional process engineering.
By moving critical production onshore, the company argues it can help the U.S. counter reliance on foreign suppliers while creating new jobs. “We’re building the factories that will secure American leadership in advanced manufacturing,” Power said. Hadrian expects both the Mesa site and its new headquarters to be operational by early 2026.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.