Saronic Secures $600M to Build 'Port Alpha,' a Next-Gen Autonomous Shipyard

The Austin-based defense startup plans to bolster U.S. shipbuilding capacity with a facility designed to mass-produce medium and large unmanned vessels.

• Saronic Technologies raised $600 million in a Series C funding round, increasing its valuation to $4 billion, to develop Port Alpha, a next-generation autonomous shipyard.
• The planned facility will focus on producing medium and large uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) to support the U.S. Navy's hybrid fleet strategy of integrating autonomous systems with manned platforms.
• Saronic's CEO, Dino Mavrookas, emphasized the goal of designing Port Alpha for rapid, scalable production, drawing inspiration from World War II-era shipbuilding efficiency.
• The company is actively searching for a location for Port Alpha and aims to begin operations within five years, even as the Navy refines its requirements for autonomous vessels.
• Port Alpha represents a broader trend of private defense companies investing in manufacturing capacity ahead of formal military orders, with potential economic benefits for local workforces.

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