Firestorm Labs Secures $47M to Expand Expeditionary Manufacturing
On July 16th, Firestorm Labs formally disclosed the completion of its $47 million Series A funding round. The recent funding follows a $12.5 million seed round announced in Q1 of 2024. The Series A round was led by New Enterprise Associates, with participation from Lockheed Martin Ventures, Decisive Point, Washington Harbour Partners, Booz Allen Ventures, and others. The total includes $12 million in venture debt from J.P. Morgan.
Based in San Diego and established in 2022, Firestorm intends to utilize the Series A capital to establish an expanded production facility for increased output, further develop its additive-manufacturing platform, and to recruit additional engineering personnel and extends its partnership program. The newly secured funding will also expedite the deployment of versatile and affordable UAS, as well as other mission-critical platforms, to address the evolving requirements of U.S. and allied defense organizations.
Firestorm Labs started off the year by securing a $100 million IDIQ contract with the U.S. Air Force to deliver modular, 3D-printed drones over five years. The company also partnered with HP to integrate Multi Jet Fusion technology into its xCell deployable production unit, aiming to expand beyond defense into sectors like emergency medical response. Recent conflicts have driven advances in 3D printing for drone manufacturing, leading U.S. military officials, particularly in the Army, to prioritize additive manufacturing for internal drone production. Firestorm’s drones are now being evaluated at Joint Interagency Field Experimentation exercises.
Commenting on Firestorm’s $47 million Series A round, Brian MacCarthy, Managing Partner of Booz Allen Ventures, stated: “Maintaining a competitive edge requires bold investment in technologies that keep pace with modern threats’ complexity. Firestorm delivers breakthrough solutions engineered for speed, scale, and survivability within demanding environments. Their agility and problem-solving capacity align with what the U.S. and allied forces require to maintain superiority in operational theaters.”
Dan Magy, CEO and Co-Founder of Firestorm Labs, added: “This milestone empowers Firestorm to provide critical, battlefield-ready solutions more rapidly and at greater scale. Our capacity to 3D print modular airframes on-site significantly reduces production timelines, costs, and logistical challenges, offering U.S. and allied forces adaptive technology for complex and contested settings.”
Firestorm highlights a trend among top advanced additive manufacturing organizations - combining innovation in logistics with new product development. While others have been hesitant to identify as additive manufacturing companies, Firestorm has fully embraced this identity. Their approach suggests that aligning advanced additive manufacturing solutions with industries valuing rapid iteration cycles is both crucial and a smart approach - one not just limited to the defense sector. While additive manufacturing was designed for fast prototyping, agile product development has emerged as a significant advantage. By situating manufacturing capabilities closer to the point of need, Firestorm significantly enhances the customer experience.