Castelion hits $13B valuation to mass-produce hypersonic missiles
TechCrunch
β’Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:01:41 +0000
π° What Happened
Missile startup Castelion raised a $1 billion Series C at a $13 billion valuation, co-led by top venture and financial firms. The company builds hypersonic weapons cheaper and faster than traditional defense primes and has secured over $500 million in US military contracts. It plans to use the money to produce its own missiles in larger quantity.
π The Backstory
The Pentagon has been looking to grow its hypersonic arsenal, which has not kept pace with China's stockpile. Castelion, founded by former SpaceX executives, says faster production can close that gap, building missiles such as Blackbeard at a facility in New Mexico.
π― Why It Matters
The huge round signals how much money is flowing into defense tech as governments build hypersonic capability. The funding reflects the military's pressure to close a strategic hypersonic lead.
Missile startup Castelion raised a $1 billion Series C at a $13 billion valuation, co-led by top venture and financial firms. The company builds hypersonic weapons cheaper and faster than traditional defense primes and has secured over $500 million in US military contracts. It plans to use the money to produce its own missiles in larger quantity.
The Pentagon has been looking to grow its hypersonic arsenal, which has not kept pace with China's stockpile. Castelion, founded by former SpaceX executives, says faster production can close that gap, building missiles such as Blackbeard at a facility in New Mexico.
The huge round signals how much money is flowing into defense tech as governments build hypersonic capability. The funding reflects the military's pressure to close a strategic hypersonic lead.