A record lifting to transform the military industry
In less than eight years, Andundil has moved from the status of marginal startup to that of structuring actor in American defense. The company founded by Palmer Luckey has just raised $ 2.5 billion (≈ 2.3 billion euros)doubling its valuation at 30.5 billion dollars. The G -series, overwhelmed more than eight times, was led by Founders Fundwhich has invested a billion dollars, the biggest check in its history.
“We thought it was essential to strengthen the balance sheet and ensure that we had the means to deploy capital on the industrial production issues that we are dealing with,” said Trae StephensExecutive President of Andundil, at Bloomberg Television.
Tl; Dr – Andundil, the American defense spacex changes scale
👥 For whom is it important?
- For strategic investors in defense, AI and heavy industry
- For public and military decision -makers engaged in the modernization of forces
- For European startups positioned on dual technologies
- For analysts following the evolution of the American military-industrial complex
💡 Why is it strategic?
- Andundil raises 2.3 billion euros and reaches a valuation of 28 billion
- The company replaces Microsoft on a military AR/VR contract at $ 22 billion
- It combines AI, drones, sensors, tactical software and integrated industrial production
- It embodies a new model of industrial born from the software, inspired by SpaceX
- It redefines the defense value chain through speed and autonomy
🔧 What it changes concretely
- The armies now have systems deliverable in a few months, not in years
- The United States acquisition model opens up to verticalized industrial startups
- Historical competitors (Lockheed, Raytheon) see a credible and agile rival emerge
- In Europe, Helsing, Preligens (acquired by Safran), Dedrone or Exam
- The link between venture capital, civilian tech and military sovereignty becomes central
A total integration strategy, from the sensor to the software
Created in 2017 in Costa Mesa (California) by Palmer Luckey (founder of Oculus), Trae Stephens (ex-Palant), Matt Grimm,, Joe Chen And Brian SchimpfAnduril builds all its internal systems: software, sensors, drones, supervision platforms, and now factories.
Its offer is based on several product lines, with both autonomous interception (Anvil), recognition (GHOST), or reusable tactics (roadrunner), land, sea and air controls, tactical command software (Lattice OS) and augmented reality headsets for soldiers. This Full-Stack approach makes it possible to deliver complete systems in a few months, where historical manufacturers require several years.
From the Mexican border to the giant US Army contract
Andundil first made herself known by equipping the southern border of the United States with autonomous sensors. But it was in 2022 that she changed scale with the construction of The Arsenal-1 factoryin Columbus (Ohio), to mass produce drones and sensors.
In 2024, the company Double turnover to reach around $ 1 billion. In February 2025, she recovered a strategic contract initially awarded to Microsoft and not the least since it isA program at $ 22 billion to equip American soldiers with AR/VR headsets. Against all expectations, Andundil has also formalized collaboration with Metahis former rival, now an industrial partner.
An industrial response to a new type of war
The war in Ukraine, tensions in Taiwan and the generalization of hybrid threats require a structural transformation of military tools. To which Andundil offers an industrial response aligned with the constraints of modern combat, namely speed, autonomy, modularity, and resilience.
The company offers a complete algorithmic war architecture, from the drone to the command interface, capable of operating without centralized infrastructure and does not just deliver technological bricks.
A competitive landscape in recomposition
This dynamic driven by the founder of Andundil is part of a broader recomposition of the technology defense industry in the United States as in Europe. However, if no actor reproduces his integrated model exactly, several companies are getting closer to segments.
Across the Atlantic, Palantant There remains a central actor in decision -making intelligence, but does not operate in the manufacture of equipment. Shield Aianother startup supported by Andreessen Horowitz, develops autonomous drones with on -board intelligence, especially for air combat missions. Skydiomore positioned on surveillance drones, has signed contracts with the US Army, but remains focused on limited tactical uses. Other companies like Rebellion Defense,, Kratos Defense Or Valkyrie Systems Aerospace Explore technological niches such as AI, electronic war, or unmanned systems.
In Europe, the landscape is very fragmented. The German-British startup Helsingsupported by General Catalyst and Saab, is positioned on the on -board tactical AI and already collaborates with the conventional defense industry. In Germany, Dedrone has developed drone detection and neutralization systems, deployed in the Ukrainian field. Others, like Droniqfocus on the management of airspace for drones, but have no declared military ambition.
France has several champions on critical segments. Preligens (acquired by Safran) provides imaging analysis algorithms for intelligence, used by French armies and NATO. Unseenlabs deploys a constellation of nanosatellites to intercept electromagnetic signals at sea. Dela designs long -range drones used for industrial and military purposes, or Internal which offers navigation technology without GPS used by the French Navy, while Exilment (ex-IXBlue) is essential in autonomous robotics and the war of the seabed.
But none of these actors, whether American or European, has to date what Antil has managed to assemble, namely software integration, industrial capacity to make serial deliveries, and especially strategic proximity to public sponsors.
An assumed trajectory of strategic industrialist
Andundil also benefits from strong proximity to American decision -making circles. Several of its leaders have advised Trump and Biden administrations on military technological priorities. The model that takes shape is no longer that of a startup, but that of a new defense manufacturera model designed for the 21st century.
