Radar · Aerospace, Maritime and Defense in California
Best Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Companies in California, United States
The 422 best Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies in California, United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: Kratos.
By Riya SenguptaFinancials
422companies tracked
$3.2Bdisclosed funding
2unicorns
41have raised
FLIAR INTELLIGENCE · AEROSPACE, MARITIME AND DEFENSE × CALIFORNIA
Our analysis of 50 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies
$6.7b in tracked funding; 89% of the stack-profiled cohort runs cloud-native; funding activity peaked in 2025.
50companies analysed
89%cloud-native stacks
2025funding peak (by rounds)
3unicorns
2017median founding year
438kcombined LinkedIn audience
33%of audience held by top 3
7companies hiring publicly (12 mo)
Ranked: Best Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies in California
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Stage | Employees | Founded | Tech stack | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kratos Provider of AI and cloud-based platforms and products for national security 78Product top 14%Funding top 24%Market top 26%Fin. health top 27% All 11 signals ▾Producttop 14% Fundingtop 24% Markettop 26% Fin. healthtop 27% Innovationtop 41% Techtop 41% Growthtop 43% Moattop 43% Globaltop 44% Patentstop 46% Newsbottom 49% Product: 12 distinct product lines · Company stage: Public Funding: Raised $947M across 11 rounds · 11 rounds over 19 yrs (0.6/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 78/100 | $947M | 54 mo ago | Public | 3,900 | 1994 | DrupalApple iCloud MailPHP+26 | 48 patents Silicon‑based group IVA anode materials for high‑performance lithium‑ion batteries | — |
| 2 | SkyRyse Developer of advanced flight automation systems for aircraft 78Innovation top 14%Patents top 17%Funding top 18%News top 25% All 9 signals ▾Innovationtop 14% Patentstop 17% Fundingtop 18% Newstop 25% Producttop 25% Growthtop 32% Techtop 47% Globaltop 49% Marketbottom 48% Innovation: 119 patents (top 16% of patent-holders) · 92 filings since 2022 vs 27 in 2017-21 Patents: 119 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 92 filings since 2022 vs 27 in 2017-21 rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 78/100 | $540M | 9 mo ago | Series C | 92 | 2016 | Webflow EcommerceWebflowAmazon Web Services+16 | 119 patents Advanced aircraft cockpit displays and integrated flight control/actuation management systems. | 2 launchs · 1 partnership · 1 award |
| 3 | Amca Provider of aerospace and defense products, scaling to meet industry needs 62Funding top 15%Talent top 28%Tech top 49%Global bottom 33% All 4 signals ▾Fundingtop 15% Talenttop 28% Techtop 49% Globalbottom 33% Funding: Raised $376M across 2 rounds · 2 rounds over 1 yrs (2.0/yr) Talent: 3 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 62/100 | $376M | 1 mo ago | Series B | — | 2024 | TurbopackNode.jsTailwind CSS+11 | — | — |
| 4 | Wyle Providers of specialized engineering, scientific, and technical services to the department of defense | $246M | 126 mo ago | Acquired | 4,000 | 1949 | — | — | — |
| 5 | Teledyne Manufacturer of electric and electronic components 57Funding top 28%Market top 30%News top 31%Product top 39% All 11 signals ▾Fundingtop 28% Markettop 30% Newstop 31% Producttop 39% Fin. healthtop 40% Techtop 44% Growthtop 46% Moatbottom 42% Globalbottom 38% Patentsbottom 37% Innovationbottom 35% Funding: Raised $200M · 1 rounds over 14 yrs (0.1/yr) Market: 14,900 employees (top 8% of Aerospace, Maritime and Defense) · Revenue ~$6.1B rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 57/100 | $200M | 11 mo ago | Public | 14,900 | 1960 | Microsoft SharePointApple iCloud MailSalesforce+9 | 2 patents Medical linear accelerator technology for precise multi-dose radiation therapy | — |
| 6 | ICON Aircraft Consumer sport plane manufacturer | $127M | 86 mo ago | Series B | 73 73 → 157 (+115%) | 2005 | WordPress Block EditorWordPressMySQL+31 | 79 patents Folding wing mechanisms and spin‑resistant designs for amphibious aircraft | — |
| 7 | Aerospacelab Provider of space research association services 60Funding top 23%Growth top 37%Global top 45%Talent bottom 49% All 5 signals ▾Fundingtop 23% Growthtop 37% Globaltop 45% Talentbottom 49% Techbottom 27% Funding: Raised $125M across 4 rounds · 4 rounds over 7 yrs (0.6/yr) Growth: 1 acquisition/expansion move in 24 mo · Fresh capital in last 24 mo rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 60/100 | $125M | 8 mo ago | Series B | — | 2018 | BackdropOdooPHP+10 | — | 1 job opening |
| 8 | Scout AI AI-powered robotic systems for defense and related applications 53Funding top 19%AI top 25%Growth top 35%Moat top 48% All 10 signals ▾Fundingtop 19% AItop 25% Growthtop 35% Moattop 48% Techbottom 49% Talentbottom 49% Globalbottom 44% Innovationbottom 38% Patentsbottom 37% Marketbottom 35% Funding: Raised $115M across 2 rounds · 2 rounds over 1 yrs (2.0/yr) AI: Classified as an AI company · Holds AI/ML patents (G06N-family CPC) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 53/100 | $115M | 1 mo ago | Series A | — | 2024 | SanityNode.jsThree.js+13 | 3 patents Advanced hyperspectral imaging sensors and adjustable hitch mechanisms for vehicles | — |
| 9 | K2 Space 🦄 Provider of aerospace hardware products designed services 62Funding top 20%Talent top 38%Growth top 40%Moat top 45% All 8 signals ▾Fundingtop 20% Talenttop 38% Growthtop 40% Moattop 45% Markettop 50% Newsbottom 46% Techbottom 41% Globalbottom 38% Funding: Raised $65.5M · 3 rounds over 3 yrs (1.0/yr) Talent: 2 named leaders on record · 2 C-suite/founder profiles curated rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 62/100 | $66M | 2 mo ago | Series C | — | 2004 | WebflowAmazon Web ServicesGSAP+13 | — | 1 expansion |
| 10 | AstroForge Technologies Provider of space research services 21Funding top 29%Talent top 45%Global bottom 38%Market bottom 15% All 4 signals ▾Fundingtop 29% Talenttop 45% Globalbottom 38% Marketbottom 15% Funding: Raised $55.0M · 3 rounds over 4 yrs (0.8/yr) Talent: 2 named leaders on record rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 21/100 | $55M | 22 mo ago | Series A | 10 | 2022 | — | — | — |
| 11 | Venus Aerospace Manufacturer of aerospace devices 72Innovation top 24%Funding top 25%Patents top 28%Growth top 35% All 9 signals ▾Innovationtop 24% Fundingtop 25% Patentstop 28% Growthtop 35% Talenttop 38% Techtop 40% Moattop 45% Marketbottom 38% Globalbottom 37% Innovation: 40 patents (top 36% of patent-holders) · 40 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21 Funding: Raised $48.4M across 6 rounds · 6 rounds over 5 yrs (1.2/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 72/100 | $48M | 2 mo ago | Series B | 78 | 2020 | WordPressApple iCloud MailGoogle Workspace+24 | 40 patents Advanced rotating detonation and combined-cycle rocket propulsion systems | 1 award |
| 12 | Calcreek Developer of high-power microwave sources, components, and related technology 55Innovation top 20%Funding top 44%Product top 46%Global bottom 25% All 5 signals ▾Innovationtop 20% Fundingtop 44% Producttop 46% Globalbottom 25% Techbottom 22% Innovation: 6 product lines Funding: Raised $33.4M across 33 rounds · 33 rounds over 19 yrs (1.7/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 55/100 | $33M | 11 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | 1996 | — | — | — |
| 13 | CX2 Developer of AI-enabled hardware and software for electromagnetic spectrum detection and defense 67Talent top 28%Funding top 33%Growth top 35%Tech bottom 38% All 5 signals ▾Talenttop 28% Fundingtop 33% Growthtop 35% Techbottom 38% Globalbottom 33% Talent: 4 named leaders on record · 4 C-suite/founder profiles curated Funding: Raised $31.0M across 1 rounds · 1 rounds over 1 yrs (1.0/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 67/100 | $31M | 12 mo ago | Series A | — | 2024 | WebflowGSAPUnpkg+9 | — | 1 partnership · 1 expansion · 1 award |
| 14 | JetZero Governmental organization for airlines and efficient jets 60Innovation top 13%Patents top 22%Funding top 32%Talent top 38% All 11 signals ▾Innovationtop 13% Patentstop 22% Fundingtop 32% Talenttop 38% Moattop 41% Newstop 44% Partnerstop 45% Growthbottom 47% Marketbottom 41% Techbottom 36% Globalbottom 31% Innovation: 112 patents (top 17% of patent-holders) · 112 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21 Patents: 112 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 112 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21 rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 60/100 | $31M | 5 mo ago | Series B | 75 | 2020 | HubSpot CMS HubApple iCloud MailMicrosoft 365+11 | 112 patents Design and manufacture of blended‑wing‑body aircraft with carbon‑fiber structures and integrated propulsion. | 1 partnership · 1 expansion · 2 awards |
| 15 | Cambium Provider of bio processing, downstream, and formulations services for food manufacturing industry 32Talent top 28%Funding top 31%Growth top 38%News top 39% All 10 signals ▾Talenttop 28% Fundingtop 31% Growthtop 38% Newstop 39% Moatbottom 49% Techbottom 37% Globalbottom 33% Marketbottom 32% Patentsbottom 31% Innovationbottom 27% Talent: 3 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated Funding: Raised $27.0M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 5 yrs (0.6/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 32/100 | $27M | 5 mo ago | Series B | 24 | 2019 | WordPressApple iCloud MailMySQL+13 | 6 patents Marine life‑saving flotation devices with integrated acoustic signaling and wireless transmission scheduling | 1 launch · 1 award |
| 16 | Grid Aero Developer of uncrewed, long-range cargo aircraft for resilient logistics networks 32Talent top 28%Funding top 31%Tech bottom 44%Global bottom 33% All 5 signals ▾Talenttop 28% Fundingtop 31% Techbottom 44% Globalbottom 33% Marketbottom 30% Talent: 3 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated Funding: Raised $26.0M across 2 rounds · 2 rounds over 2 yrs (1.0/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 32/100 | $26M | 4 mo ago | Series A | — | 2024 | Node.jsTailwind CSSReact+8 | — | 1 launch |
| 17 | Senra Systems Provider of harness design, manufacturing, and supply chain services for aerospace & defence 42Funding top 34%Growth top 35%Talent top 38%Tech top 42% All 6 signals ▾Fundingtop 34% Growthtop 35% Talenttop 38% Techtop 42% Globalbottom 36% Marketbottom 15% Funding: Raised $25.0M across 1 rounds · 1 rounds over 1 yrs (1.0/yr) Growth: Fresh capital in last 24 mo rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 42/100 | $25M | 11 mo ago | Series A | 9 | 2023 | Cart FunctionalitySquarespace CommerceSquarespace+16 | — | 1 award |
| 18 | Calnetix Provider of high-speed electric motor generators, drives, and magnetic bearing systems | $22M | 139 mo ago | Series B | 56 | 1998 | Node.jsErlangSalesforce+11 | 33 patents Advanced electric machines, magnetic bearings, and turbocharger control systems | 5 job openings |
| 19 | Hedron Hedron is building a network of data relay satellites that will connect space to Earth in realtime | $22M | 55 mo ago | Deadpooled | 12 | 2016 | — | — | — |
| 20 | Giga-tronics Provider of advanced test and measurement solutions for electronic warfare and radar applications | $17M | 40 mo ago | Public | — | 1980 | WordPressMySQLPHP+17 | — | — |
| 21 | Castelion 🦄 Defense company applying modern hardware development and manufacturing processes to national security… 67Talent top 28%Funding top 32%News top 37%Growth top 40% All 8 signals ▾Talenttop 28% Fundingtop 32% Newstop 37% Growthtop 40% Techtop 43% Moattop 47% Markettop 50% Globalbottom 36% Talent: 4 named leaders on record · 4 C-suite/founder profiles curated Funding: Raised $14.2M across 5 rounds · 5 rounds over 3 yrs (1.7/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 67/100 | $14M | 11 mo ago | Series B | — | 2022 | WordPressApple iCloud MailMySQL+16 | — | 1 partnership · 1 expansion |
| 22 | Stell Distributor of aircraft parts | $10M | 27 mo ago | Series A | 6 | 2022 | Framer SitesReactAmazon Web Services+12 | — | — |
| 23 | Aurelius Systems Developer of directed energy systems for unmanned aerial system defense 48Growth top 28%Talent top 38%Funding top 39%Tech top 50% All 6 signals ▾Growthtop 28% Talenttop 38% Fundingtop 39% Techtop 50% Globalbottom 45% Marketbottom 31% Growth: Web rank 50,000,000 → 10,000,000 YoY · Fresh capital in last 24 mo Talent: 2 named leaders on record · 2 C-suite/founder profiles curated rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 48/100 | $10M | 11 mo ago | Seed | — | 2024 | Cart FunctionalitySquarespace CommerceSquarespace+12 | — | 2 job openings |
| 24 | Survival Systems Manufacturer of lifeboat capsules | $6M | 85 mo ago | Funding Raised | 125 | 1987 | WordPressMySQLPHP+24 | — | — |
| 25 | Northwood Space Manufacturer of ultra wideband gateways for satellite backhaul 57News top 22%Growth top 25%Talent top 28%Funding top 37% All 7 signals ▾Newstop 22% Growthtop 25% Talenttop 28% Fundingtop 37% Techtop 48% Globalbottom 37% Marketbottom 28% News: 10 BI events in 12 mo (of 10 tracked, 2 types) · 8 high-value events (IPO/M&A/funding/contracts) in 12 mo Growth: Fresh capital in last 24 mo rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 57/100 | $6M | 4 mo ago | Series B | — | 2023 | SanityApple iCloud MailMicrosoft 365+11 | — | 1 job opening · 1 launch |
| 26 | OKSI Provider of research and development company providing customized sensors for defense and aerospace industries 10Tech top 34%Funding bottom 41%Global bottom 32%Market bottom 9% All 4 signals ▾Techtop 34% Fundingbottom 41% Globalbottom 32% Marketbottom 9% Tech: 32 technologies across 5/8 capability areas · Cloud: Cloudflare Funding: Raised $4.8M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 17 yrs (0.2/yr) rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 10/100 | $5M | 14 mo ago | Funding Raised | 1 | 1991 | WordPress Block EditorDiviWordPress+29 | — | — |
| 27 | General Autonomy Manufacturer of aerospace components and integrator of data fusion and sensing | $3M | 31 mo ago | Seed | — | 2013 | UbuntuBootstrapNginx+1 | — | — |
| 28 | Pacific Science & Engineering Group, Inc. Pacific Science & Engineering specializes in human factors engineering, ergonomics, and human system… | $3M | 59 mo ago | Funding Raised | 70 | 1984 | — | — | 3 job openings |
| 29 | Makel Engineering Developer of chemical sensing systems for aerospace and defense applications | $2M | 22 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | 1999 | — | — | — |
| 30 | Kelly Space & Technology Provider of aerospace and defense technology company providing state-of-the-art test facilities… | $2M | 200 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | 1996 | — | — | — |
| 31 | Solid State Marine Solid State Marine | $2M | 26 mo ago | Seed | — | — | Cart FunctionalityShopifyLeaflet+28 | — | — |
| 32 | CNC Technologies Provider of training and support services to aviation and defense industries | $2M | 70 mo ago | Seed | 18 | 2016 | Tailwind CSSGSAPAstro+7 | — | — |
| 33 | Iris Technology Innovative engineering solutions for aerospace, defense, and power systems | $1M | 264 mo ago | Early Stage | 53 53 → 91 (+72%) | 1986 | Cart FunctionalitySquarespace CommerceSquarespace+25 | 38 patents Metadata enrichment and optimized delivery of digital media assets | 3 launchs |
| 34 | Phase III Physics Developer of advanced research and development solutions for critical technologies | $826K | 14 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | 2022 | — | — | — |
| 35 | Aerhart Provider of advanced technological solutions for the aerospace and defense industries | $550K | 15 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | 2017 | — | 9 patents Air‑breathing electric propulsion and VTOL/folding‑wing aircraft structural technologies | — |
| 36 | Navier Provider of aerospace engineering and mechanical services 50Patents top 30%Growth top 35%Innovation top 36%Talent top 38% All 9 signals ▾Patentstop 30% Growthtop 35% Innovationtop 36% Talenttop 38% Techtop 40% Fundingtop 47% Moatbottom 49% Globalbottom 37% Marketbottom 16% Patents: 15 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 12 filings since 2022 vs 3 in 2017-21 Growth: Fresh capital in last 24 mo rank vs industry peers · Fliar Intelligence Index 50/100 | $500K | 6 mo ago | Seed | — | 2023 | Tailwind CSSReactReact Router+9 | 15 patents Adaptive, energy-aware software-defined networking and network management solutions | — |
| 37 | Astro Mechanica Developer of supersonic propulsion systems | $500K | 9 mo ago | Series A | — | 2021 | WebflowjsDelivrGoogle Hosted Libraries+8 | — | 1 partnership · 1 award |
| 38 | Splash Manufacturer of autonomous maritime patrol and survey vessels | $500K | 12 mo ago | Seed | — | 2024 | Framer SitesApple iCloud MailYouTube+7 | 4 patents Advanced liquid filtration systems for water and underwater treatment | 1 launch |
| 39 | Vista Space Provider of satellite buses and battery modules with record lead times | $500K | 29 mo ago | Seed | — | 2023 | — | — | — |
| 40 | Exquadrum Provider of space launch vehicle design | $480K | 191 mo ago | Acquired | — | 2002 | WordPressApple iCloud MailMySQL+19 | 19 patents Patents concentrated in mechanical & energy engineering | 3 job openings · 1 partnership |
| 41 | Ravyn Manufacturer of lower cost missile systems for government defense contracts | $400K | 78 mo ago | Seed | — | 2019 | — | — | — |
| 42 | Green Yachts Provider of electric-powered boats to drive marine electrification and reduce carbon emissions | $250K | 24 mo ago | Seed | — | 2019 | — | — | — |
| 43 | Swift Engineering Developer of technologies for unmanned aerial systems and components | $150K | 57 mo ago | Acquired | 124 | 1983 | WordPressMySQLPHP+12 | — | — |
| 44 | International Space Provider of space consulting and exploration services | $147K | 78 mo ago | Funding Raised | — | 1998 | — | — | — |
| 45 | Airhart Developer of fly-by-wire aircraft with intuitive avionics for personal aviation | $125K | 7 mo ago | Series A | 5 | 2022 | WebflowreCAPTCHAHSTS+10 | — | — |
Top 12 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies in California
#1
Series B · El Segundo, California · founded 2024$376Mraised▾
Series B · El Segundo, California · founded 2024
Provider of aerospace and defense products, scaling to meet industry needs. The company acquires and develops critical products for these sectors. It focuses on unified engineering and manufacturing processes. The company emphasizes responsiveness and transparency with its customers. It deploys engineering and manufacturing talent to assist customers with product development.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 62how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 15%Talent
top 28%Tech
top 49%Global
bottom 33%Funding: Raised $376M across 2 rounds · 2 rounds over 1 yrs (2.0/yr) · Last round Series B (May 2026)
Talent: 3 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated
Tech: 17 technologies across 3/8 capability areas · Cloud: Vercel · Security: Hsts
Audience (LinkedIn): 33 LinkedIn followers
Funding rounds
- May 2026Series B$300M
- Apr 2025Series A$76M
Founders & team
Investors
Caffeinated, Founders Fund, Lux Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Construct Capital
Tech stack
GodaddyGsapHstsLenisMicrosoft 365Next.Js
#2
Series A · Sunnyvale, California · founded 2024$115Mraised▾
Series A · Sunnyvale, California · founded 2024
AI-powered robotic systems for defense and related applications. It enables natural language commands, robot-to-robot coordination, and mission-adaptive autonomy without cloud connectivity. Its technology enables unmanned platforms to perform tasks using vision, language, and action models. Its systems are designed for deployment across various domains. It focuses on creating adaptable and generalized decision-making capabilities for robotic systems.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 53how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 19%AI
top 25%Growth
top 35%Moat
top 48%Tech
bottom 49%Talent
bottom 49%Funding: Raised $115M across 2 rounds · 2 rounds over 1 yrs (2.0/yr) · Last round Series A (Apr 2026)
AI: Classified as an AI company · Holds AI/ML patents (G06N-family CPC) · Product described with: ai-powered
Growth: Fresh capital in last 24 mo
Funding rounds
- Apr 2026Series A$100M
- Apr 2025Seed$15M
Founders & team
Investors
Align Ventures, Booz Allen Hamilton, Draper, Decisive Point, Perot Jain, Habitat Partners
Tech stack
GodaddyGoogle AnalyticsGoogle Tag ManagerGoogle WorkspaceGsapHsts
#3
Series C · Hayward, California · founded 2016 · 92 employees$540.5Mraised▾
Series C · Hayward, California · founded 2016 · 92 employees
Developer of advanced flight automation systems for aircraft. It offers a fully digitized aircraft operating system enhancing safety and enabling optionally-piloted capabilities. The system provides a seamless user interface, maintains stability, improves operation in low-visibility conditions, and offers automated emergency management. It also allows for ground-based control of fleets and facilitates upgrades to existing aircraft, reducing weight and maintenance costs. The system is designed to simplify controls, improve pilot safety, and maximize aircraft performance.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 78how this company ranks against its industry peers
Innovation
top 14%Patents
top 17%Funding
top 18%News
top 25%Product
top 25%Growth
top 32%Innovation: 119 patents (top 16% of patent-holders) · 92 filings since 2022 vs 27 in 2017-21 · 10 product lines
Patents: 119 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 92 filings since 2022 vs 27 in 2017-21 · Latest publication 2026
Funding: Raised $540M across 5 rounds · 5 rounds over 8 yrs (0.6/yr) · Last round Series C (Sep 2025)
Audience (LinkedIn): 26k LinkedIn followers — 5.9% of this cohort's audience
Activity (LinkedIn): 2 product launches · 1 partnerships · 1 awards (incl. Roston Helicopter Company) announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Sep 2025Series C$300M
- Oct 2021Series B$200M
- May 2020Series A$2.5M
- Dec 2019Series A$13M
Investors
Fidelity Investments, Monashee Investment Management, Republic Capital, ArrowMark Partners, Raptor Group, Embedded Ventures
Tech stack
Amazon SesAmazon Web ServicesCloudflareCore-JsDocusignGoogle Analytics
#4
Series B · Seal Beach, California · founded 2020 · 78 employees$48.4Mraised▾
Series B · Seal Beach, California · founded 2020 · 78 employees
Manufacturer of aerospace devices
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 72how this company ranks against its industry peers
Innovation
top 24%Funding
top 25%Patents
top 28%Growth
top 35%Talent
top 38%Tech
top 40%Innovation: 40 patents (top 36% of patent-holders) · 40 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21
Funding: Raised $48.4M across 6 rounds · 6 rounds over 5 yrs (1.2/yr) · Last round Series B (Apr 2026)
Patents: 40 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 40 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21 · Latest publication 2026
Audience (LinkedIn): 27k LinkedIn followers — 6.3% of this cohort's audience
Activity (LinkedIn): 3 awards announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Apr 2026Series B$63M
- Oct 2025Series A—
- Jan 2025Series A—
- Jun 2023Series A$15.9M
Founders & team
Investors
Prime Movers Lab, Draper, Boost VC, Saturn Five, Seraph Group, The Helm
Tech stack
Apple Icloud MailCloudflareGsapHstsHttp/3Jquery
#5
K2 Space 🦄Series C · Los Angeles, California · founded 2004$65.5Mraised▾
K2 Space 🦄
Series C · Los Angeles, California · founded 2004
Provider of aerospace hardware products designed services
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 62how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 20%Talent
top 38%Growth
top 40%Moat
top 45%Market
top 50%News
bottom 46%Funding: Raised $65.5M · 3 rounds over 3 yrs (1.0/yr) · Last round Series C (Mar 2026)
Talent: 2 named leaders on record · 2 C-suite/founder profiles curated
Growth: Fresh capital in last 24 mo
Audience (LinkedIn): 26k LinkedIn followers — 6.0% of this cohort's audience
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 expansions announced in 12 mo
Founders & team
Investors
Alpine Space, Altimeter Capital, First Round Capital, Republic Capital, Countdown Capital, Boost VC
Tech stack
Amazon SesAmazon Web ServicesCdnjsCloudflareGsapHsts
#6
Series B · Los Angeles, California · founded 2018$124.8Mraised▾
Series B · Los Angeles, California · founded 2018
Provider of space research association services
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 60how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 23%Growth
top 37%Global
top 45%Talent
bottom 49%Tech
bottom 27%Funding: Raised $125M across 4 rounds · 4 rounds over 7 yrs (0.6/yr) · Last round Series B (Oct 2025)
Growth: 1 acquisition/expansion move in 24 mo · Fresh capital in last 24 mo
Global: Investors from 4 countries beyond United States
Audience (LinkedIn): 36k LinkedIn followers — 8.3% of this cohort's audience
Hiring (LinkedIn): 1 hiring post in 12 mo (public) · hiring: Antenna Systems Engineer, Thermo Engineer
Funding rounds
- Oct 2025Series B—
- Aug 2025Series B$66M
- Dec 2022Grant (prize money)$1.1M
- Feb 2022Series B$45.4M
Founders & team
Investors
Europa, Airbus Ventures, imec.xpand, BNP Paribas Fortis, Torus, XAnge
Tech stack
BackdropGoogle Font ApiHstsJqueryLessOdoo
#7
Series B · Long Beach, California · founded 2020 · 75 employees$31Mraised▾
Series B · Long Beach, California · founded 2020 · 75 employees
Governmental organization for airlines and efficient jets
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 60how this company ranks against its industry peers
Innovation
top 13%Patents
top 22%Funding
top 32%Talent
top 38%Moat
top 41%News
top 44%Innovation: 112 patents (top 17% of patent-holders) · 112 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21
Patents: 112 patents matched (strict assignee match) · 112 filings since 2022 vs 0 in 2017-21 · Latest publication 2026
Funding: Raised $31.0M across 4 rounds · 4 rounds over 4 yrs (1.0/yr) · Last round Series B (Jan 2026)
Audience (LinkedIn): 36k LinkedIn followers — 8.2% of this cohort's audience
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 partnerships · 2 awards · 1 expansions (incl. Simpson Foundation) announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Jan 2026Series B$175M
- Apr 2025Series A—
- Jan 2025Grant (prize money)$8M
- Aug 2024Series A—
Founders & team
Investors
Alaska Airlines, United Airlines, U.S. Department of Transportation, B Capital, Northrop Grumman, 3M
Tech stack
Apple Icloud MailCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementCore-JsGoogle Font ApiHsts
#8
Series A · San Leandro, California · founded 2024$26Mraised▾
Series A · San Leandro, California · founded 2024
Developer of uncrewed, long-range cargo aircraft for resilient logistics networks. The company focuses on building aircraft designed for moving heavy payloads across long distances. The aircraft are built for low-cost operation and designed for strategic reach. The company's distributed fleet aims to power resilient logistics at scale. The aircraft operate as a distributed mesh, supervised by a small ground team.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 32how this company ranks against its industry peers
Talent
top 28%Funding
top 31%Tech
bottom 44%Global
bottom 33%Market
bottom 30%Talent: 3 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated
Funding: Raised $26.0M across 2 rounds · 2 rounds over 2 yrs (1.0/yr) · Last round Series A (Jan 2026)
Tech: 11 technologies across 3/8 capability areas · Cloud: Vercel · Security: Hsts
Audience (LinkedIn): 4k LinkedIn followers
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 product launches announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Jan 2026Series A$20M
- Nov 2024Seed$6M
Founders & team
Investors
Calibrate Ventures, Ubiquity Ventures, Boost VC, Commonweal Ventures, Calm Ventures, Bison Ventures
Tech stack
Google WorkspaceHstsNext.JsNext.Js App RouterNode.JsPriority Hints
#9
Public · Thousand Oaks, California · founded 1960 · 14900 employees$200Mraised▾
Public · Thousand Oaks, California · founded 1960 · 14900 employees
Teledyne provides instrumentation, digital imaging, electronic components for various industries. The company's products include monitoring and control instrumentation for marine and environmental applications, harsh environment interconnects, electronic test and measurement equipment, digital imaging sensors and cameras, aircraft information management systems, and defense electronics and satellite communication subsystems.The company's markets include deepwater oil and gas exploration and production, oceanographic research, air and water quality environmental monitoring, electronics design and development, factory automation and medical imaging. In 2022, the company recorded annual revenues of $5.52B and a net profit of $0.75B.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 57how this company ranks against its industry peers
Funding
top 28%Market
top 30%News
top 31%Product
top 39%Fin. health
top 40%Tech
top 44%Funding: Raised $200M · 1 rounds over 14 yrs (0.1/yr) · Last round Grant (prize money) (Jul 2025)
Market: 14,900 employees (top 8% of Aerospace, Maritime and Defense) · Revenue ~$6.1B · Top-5,000,000 web property
News: 31 BI events in 12 mo (of 267 tracked, 10 types) · +0% YoY · 4 high-value events (IPO/M&A/funding/contracts) in 12 mo
Audience (LinkedIn): 60k LinkedIn followers — 13.8% of this cohort's audience
Activity (LinkedIn): 2 product launches · 1 awards announced in 12 mo
Investors
Military Health, OSTI, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Ojp
Tech stack
Apple Icloud MailCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementCloudflare Browser InsightsCloudflare Rocket LoaderGoogle Analytics
#10
Series B · Mojave, California · founded 2019 · 24 employees$27Mraised▾
Series B · Mojave, California · founded 2019 · 24 employees
Provider of bio processing, downstream, and formulations services for food manufacturing industry
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 32how this company ranks against its industry peers
Talent
top 28%Funding
top 31%Growth
top 38%News
top 39%Moat
bottom 49%Tech
bottom 37%Talent: 3 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated
Funding: Raised $27.0M across 3 rounds · 3 rounds over 5 yrs (0.6/yr) · Last round Series B (Jan 2026)
Growth: 4 acquisition/expansion moves in 24 mo · Fresh capital in last 24 mo
Audience (LinkedIn): 8k LinkedIn followers
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 product launches · 1 awards announced in 12 mo
Funding rounds
- Jan 2026Series B$100M
- Nov 2023Series A$19M
- Sep 2021Seed$8M
Founders & team
Investors
8VC, Veteran Ventures Capital, Marlinspike, MVP Ventures, Gaingels, Kern Venture Group
Tech stack
Apple Icloud MailCloudflareCloudflare Bot ManagementDiviGodaddyGravity Forms
#11
Funding Raised · San Mateo, California · founded 1996$33.4Mraised▾
Funding Raised · San Mateo, California · founded 1996
Developer of high-power microwave sources, components, and related technology. The company focuses on research, design, and development in the field of microwave technology. It provides expertise in areas such as gyrotrons and klystrons. The company contributes to advancements in microwave technology through research and development efforts.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 55how this company ranks against its industry peers
Innovation
top 20%Funding
top 44%Product
top 46%Global
bottom 25%Tech
bottom 22%Innovation: 6 product lines
Funding: Raised $33.4M across 33 rounds · 33 rounds over 19 yrs (1.7/yr) · Last round Grant (prize money) (Jun 2025)
Product: 6 distinct product lines · Company stage: Grant (prize money)
Funding rounds
- Jun 2025Grant (prize money)$184.3K
- Jul 2023Grant (prize money)$1.3M
- Feb 2021Grant (prize money)$136.3K
- Jul 2019Grant (prize money)$2.4M
Investors
OSTI
Tech stack
WordpressMysqlPhpNginxPriority HintsGoogle Font Api
#12
Series B · Los Angeles, California · founded 2023$6.3Mraised▾
Series B · Los Angeles, California · founded 2023
Northwood Space is a manufacturer of ultra-wideband gateways for satellite backhaul, rethinking shared infrastructure to expand access to space. Founded in 2023 and based in Allston, Massachusetts, the company aims to revolutionize satellite communication.
Fliar Intelligence Index™ 57how this company ranks against its industry peers
News
top 22%Growth
top 25%Talent
top 28%Funding
top 37%Tech
top 48%Global
bottom 37%News: 10 BI events in 12 mo (of 10 tracked, 2 types) · 8 high-value events (IPO/M&A/funding/contracts) in 12 mo · Top themes: Funding, Capital raise
Growth: Fresh capital in last 24 mo
Talent: 3 named leaders on record · 3 C-suite/founder profiles curated
Audience (LinkedIn): 40k LinkedIn followers — 9.2% of this cohort's audience
Hiring (LinkedIn): 1 hiring post in 12 mo (public)
Activity (LinkedIn): 1 product launches announced in 12 mo
Founders & team
Investors
Founders Fund, Andreessen Horowitz, Alpine Space, Also Capital, BoxGroup, Balerion Space Ventures
Tech stack
Apple Icloud MailGoogle AnalyticsHstsMicrosoft 365Next.JsNode.Js
Funding & investor landscape
$3.2Btotal disclosed funding
47companies funded
140disclosed rounds
3rounds last 90 days
Most active investors
Notable founders
Saad Mobarak
Co-Founder | Prev @ Apple & Tesla · Amca
Eli Giovanetti
Co-Founder & COO · Amca
Collin Otis
Co-Founder & CTO · Scout AI
Sarah Duggleby
Co-Founder/CEO · Venus Aerospace
Andrew Duggleby
Co-Founder / CTO · Venus Aerospace
Karan Kunjur
Co-Founder · K2 Space
Neel Kunjur
Co-Founder & CTO · K2 Space
Tina Ghataore
Group CSRO Aerospacelab · Aerospacelab
Tom Leary
Co-Founder & CEO · JetZero
Mark Page
Co-Founder · JetZero
Chinmay Patel
Co-founder & CTO · Grid Aero
Brandon F
Co-founder & Chief Commercial Officer · Grid Aero
Prism market signals · United States · country-scoped Prism corpus, 1,424,695 docs
Market landscape — 10 sub-themes by coverage
Share of Aerospace, Maritime and Defense coverage by sub-theme.
Regulatory-risk over time rising
Funding & growth over time
funding rising · growth rising
RESEARCH FROM California · institutions
What California researches in defense tech
Sandia National Laboratories, UC Berkeley, and UCLA lead California's defense-tech research—focusing on nuclear issues, foreign policy, and missile systems—with a cautiously contested tone (mean stance 0.26) split between breakthroughs and concerns.
21 papersstance +0.2628% breakthrough39% concern
local research themes
Nuclear Issues and DefenseInternational Relations and Foreign PolicyMilitary Defense Systems AnalysisGuidance and Control SystemsQuantum chaos and dynamical systemsEuropean and Russian Geopolitical Military Strategies
top institutions
- Sandia National Laboratories California6
- University of California, Berkeley3
- University of California, Los Angeles3
- University of Southern California2
- University of California, Davis2
Common questions
How many Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies are there in California, United States?
Radar tracks 422 indexable Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies headquartered in California, United States that meet our profile-completeness bar.
What is the total funding raised by Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies in California, United States?
The Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies in California, United States on this list have raised a combined $3.2B in disclosed equity funding across 47 funded companies.
Which is the highest-funded Aerospace, Maritime and Defense company in California, United States?
Kratos is the highest-funded Aerospace, Maritime and Defense company in California, United States, with $946.7M in disclosed equity funding.
How many Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies in California, United States are funded?
47 of the 422 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies in California, United States on this list have disclosed at least one equity funding round.
How many Aerospace, Maritime and Defense unicorns are there in California, United States?
2 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies in California, United States on this list are valued at $1B or more.
Who are the top investors in California, United States Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies?
The most active investors in California, United States Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies on this list include OSTI, Alumni Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, Y Combinator, Military Health.
Riya SenguptaFinancials
Riya reads income statements for fun. She covers the real money in a sector — revenue, growth, who actually earns — and never met a vague claim she didn't want a number for.