Best Aerospace, Maritime and Defense Companies in Texas, United States
The 175 best Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies in Texas, United States in 2026, ranked by funding and momentum. Funding, investors, founders, valuation, tech stack and live signals. Top: ACS.
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.
Ranked: Best Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies in Texas
| # | Company | Disclosed funding | Last round | Employees | Founded | Founder | Tech stack | Patents & IP focus | Recent signals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3DENT Provider of maritime engineering and repair services | — | — | 6 | 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2 | 5-D Systems Designs and develops unmanned aerial system and related products | — | — | 48 | 1999 | Craig Tangedal Co-Founder & VP | — | 1,296 patents High-resolution multi-plane 3D printing materials and stereolithography systems | — |
| 3 | ACMA Provider of advanced engineering and design services to international clientele in offshore exploration… | — | — | 32 | 1975 | Scott McClure Owner | — | — | 1 partnership |
| 4 | ACT Provider of aircraft engineering and consulting services | — | — | 25 | 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 5 | advanced integration technology Advanced Integration Technology is a Plano, Texas-based provider of automation, tooling and maintenance… | — | — | 500 | 1992 | Ed Chalupa CEO | Apple iCloud MailMicrosoft 365PHP+11 | — | 5 job openings |
| 6 | advantage aviation technologies Advantage Aviation Technologies is an aviation firm for precision component manufacturing, fabrication… | — | — | 33 | 1993 | — | — | — | — |
| 7 | Aegis Aerospace Provider of space and technology company specializing in developing, satellites, and commercial vehicle… | — | — | 354 354 → 389 (+10%) | 1992 | Stephanie Murphy CEO | WordPressMySQLPHP+19 | — | 1 award |
| 8 | aereos Aereos is a aviation solutions firm specializing in component repair, FAA-engineered repair, precision… | — | — | 51 | 1978 | — | WordPressMySQLPHP+30 | — | — |
Top 12 Aerospace, Maritime and Defense companies in Texas
#1
Series B · San Antonio, Texas · founded 2021$25Mraised▾
Darkhive is a defense technology startup that develops open architecture Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) integrated with a secure software delivery system. The company aims to deliver affordable, US-made autonomous drones for search and rescue, military, and public safety applications. With a focus on autonomy and intuitive user experience, Darkhive is poised to revolutionize the drone technology industry.
- Apr 2026Series B$30M
- Aug 2024Series A$21M
- Dec 2023Seed$4M
#2
Series A · Austin, Texas · founded 2019$25Mraised▾
Developer of autonomous systems tactics and orchestration software for defense. It builds software to develop, distribute, and orchestrate mixed-vendor tactics, behaviors, and autonomous strategies. The company offers tested and certified tactics, techniques, and procedures ready for deployment. Its software integrates with various vehicles and control systems. It also provides a synthetic environment for developing context-relevant tactics.
- Feb 2026Series A$25M
#3
Funding Raised · Austin, Texas · founded 2010 · 19 employees$130Mraised▾
Aero Capital Solutions is a mid-life aircraft leasing and trading company that specializes in narrowbody aircraft. They offer a full-service platform and retain in-house knowledge and capabilities to manage all aspects of a transaction. They recently closed a senior secured term loan facility and raised their second aviation investment vehicle.
- Jan 2024Conventional Debt$130M
#4
Series A · Austin, Texas · founded 2020 · 36 employees$89.8Mraised▾
Operator of a defense technology company intended to transform the world of defense with hydrogen. The company helps to create a better defense system for the United States and its allies which is fueled by hydrogen through a vertically integrated energy chain, enabling clients to get a weapon system that uses the chemical reaction of oxygen and hydrogen to create an explosion that could fuel unmanned aerial vehicles and aerial protection devices.
#5
Funding Raised · Houston, Texas · founded 2017$1.5Mraised▾
Provider of space industrial development services
- Apr 2025Grant (prize money)$599.7K
- Aug 2024Grant (prize money)$599.7K
- Jun 2021Grant (prize money)$125K
- Sep 2020Grant (prize money)—
#6
Series A · Houston, Texas · founded 2022 · 36 employees$25.5Mraised▾
Provider of satellite research services
#7
Funding Raised · Houston, Texas · founded 1987$26.8Mraised▾
Provider of research services and solutions for aerospace, security markets, and related industries
- Dec 2021Grant (prize money)$474.9K
- May 2021Grant (prize money)$27.6K
- Mar 2021Grant (prize money)$901.7K
- Jan 2021Grant (prize money)$472.7K
#8
Series A · Garland, Texas · founded 2010 · 101 employees$34.5Mraised▾
Manufacturer and supplier of ammunition products
- Oct 2021Conventional Debt$30M
- Nov 2015Series A$3.2M
- Dec 2014Series A$1.3M
#9
Acquired · Euless, Texas · founded 1975 · 446 employees$41.8Mraised▾
HM Dunn is a manufacturer and supplier of aircraft components. The firm has capabilities across processes such as machining, assembling critical components sourced or machined or kitting of components with assembly instructions. The firm also performs supply chain operations handling such as raw materials, hardware, sheet metal etc.
#10
Acquired · Pflugerville, Texas · founded 2011 · 44 employees$33.2Mraised▾
Precision optics and firearm technology for enhanced shooting accuracy and performance. The company specializes in next-generation precision optics and firearms, utilizing advanced technology to improve shooting capabilities. They offer a range of firearms, including semi-auto and bolt-action models, along with accessories, attachments, and ammunition. Their technology focuses on fire control and trigger control, enabling shooters to make accurate shots. The company provides service and support through manuals, FAQs, warranty, and financing options. They also maintain a blog, press releases, and video library to keep customers informed. The business model includes direct sales of firearms and related products, supported by customer service and technical resources. They offer subscription services for updates and news, and provide contact information for customer support, general inquiries, sales, and media relations.
- Aug 2014Series A$29.1M
- Dec 2013Series A$4.1M
#11
Public · Austin, Texas · founded 1984 · 22 employees$5Mraised▾
Provider of space habitat microgravity experimentation equipment and services
- Apr 2019Post IPO$2M
- Oct 2018Post IPO$3M
#12
Funding Raised · Houston, Texas · founded 1998 · 46 employees$2.8Mraised▾
Provider of marine vessel repair and new ship construction services. This includes topside repairs, dry dock and graving dock services, and the construction of new tugs and barges. They also specialize in articulated tug barge (ATB) connection systems design, construction, and installation, as well as pump and rotating equipment repairs. Services extend to tank cleaning, gas freeing, inerting, and purging. The company offers rapid response emergency repair capabilities and mobile vessel repair services.
- Apr 2020Grant (prize money)$1.3M
- Sep 2017Grant (prize money)$900K
- Mar 2012Grant (prize money)$610.3K
Funding & investor landscape
Notable founders
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
How research on Defense Technology is moving in the United States
A read on the academic research around Defense Technology — which themes are gaining ground, the institutions and researchers driving them, and how the tone is shifting. Based on 462 United States-affiliated papers.
- Pennsylvania State University19
- United States Air Force Research Laboratory15
- United States Naval Academy12
- U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology10
- Naval Postgraduate School9
- Photonics2→4
- Jamming6→7
- Electronic warfare55
- Radar36
- Missile32
- Missile defense18
- Jamming12
- Aerospace engineering2→4
- Cruise missile4→5
Where defense tech is researched across United States
Location clusters by institution affiliation — each city's volume, stance tone, and a quick read on its hot topic, what's advancing, the opening opportunity, and the main concern.
Who's filing defense tech patents in the United States
United States defense tech patent filing is accelerating — 57 filings from 65 assignees (2016–2025), led by Raytheon, BAE SYS INF & Elect SYS Integ, AAI; annual filings 3→6.
- Raytheon17
- BAE SYS INF & Elect SYS Integ15
- AAI10
- Leonardo Electronics US10
- Lockheed10
- Rocky Research7
- Huggett James M5
- Stroili Frank D5
Common questions
Rohit lives in the feed. He covers what's moving right now — the funding rounds, launches and shifts breaking across the trade press — and ties them back to where the sector is heading.