Benchmark has led a $25 million seed funding round for Furientis, a defense startup focused on mass-producing low-cost missile interceptors. The company is currently valued at $125 million.
Furientis previously raised $5 million in a pre-seed round announced in May. The startup has already secured a Pentagon contract to develop mid-range interceptors and has conducted successful test launches.
The company was founded by Brody Franzen, formerly of Virgin Galactic and Castelion, and Aris Simsarian, who led rocket engine testing at Virgin Orbit. They aim to address the shortage of interceptors in the U.S. military.
Furientis utilizes readily available components to reduce production costs compared to traditional systems, which can cost $3 million per unit. The startup currently conducts bi-weekly field tests in New Mexico.
The company operates a facility in Los Angeles with a long-term production goal of 1,000 systems per year per factory. It competes in a sector that includes companies like Anduril, Castelion, and Shield AI.
