Exclusive: Corridian raises $38M to build underwater "stealth logistics"
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Corridian, a New England-based robo-submarine maker, exited stealth Tuesday morning alongside word of its $38 million seed.
The big picture: The startup wants to build the "stealth logistics layer for the undersea," co-founder Mike Guay told Axios, as "cheap, swarming one-way attack drones and long-range missiles" make the "surface and sky dangerous places to operate."
- Its advisers include naval heavyweights, retired Adm. Lisa Franchetti, retired Vice Adm. Jeffrey Trussler and retired Rear Adm. Milton "Jamie" Sands III.
The latest: Corridian plans to unveil its flagship ultra-large autonomous undersea vehicle next year.
- It's designed to carry ISO-standard, containerized payloads long distances without a crew. (That could mean sensors or supplies. That could also mean weapons.)
- "I'd say our platform carries whatever payloads our customers choose. It's a platform in the truest sense," Guay, a former Army field artillery officer, says.
- He declines to share additional specs, including how the AUV would be launched.
Friction point: U.S. shipbuilding is in a tough spot. Many of America's highest-priority warships are behind schedule.
- Corridian, though, is adopting "more of an aerospace manufacturing model," according to Guay.
- That means the startup won't "interfere with the critical work of the submarine industrial base, while also leveraging a broad commercial supply chain," he says.
- "We have railroads to move over land. We have shipping to move on the surface. We have rockets into space. But undersea, nothing like that really exists."
Follow the money: Point72 Ventures led the seed, with participation from Balerion Space Ventures, Harpoon Ventures, DCVC and Marlinspike.
- "I've invested in more than 25 companies, and I struggle to think of a more serious, elite team than the founders of Corridian," Stephen Rodriguez, an investor with DCVC, told Axios.
- "I backed them from the start because when the shooting starts, anything observable is gone."
What's next: Corridian expects to double its workforce over the next year.
Go deeper: Navy dishes out $76 billion for Virginia and Columbia subs
