Radian Forge, a veteran-founded Portsmouth, Virginia advanced manufacturer, has closed a $2.5 million Series Seed Preferred round led by Veteran Ventures Capital's Fund II, with participation from the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) and existing investors. The company will use the capital to expand robotic Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) capacity for US Navy and maritime industrial base customers.
3D-Printing Big Metal Parts For The Fleet
Radian Forge builds large-format WAAM cells that 3D-print precision metal components, cutting production lead times by an estimated 40–80% versus traditional forging and machining. Each cell is designed to be run by a single technician alongside quality workflows, a deliberate answer to the shrinking pool of skilled machinists in the US industrial base. CEO Jeff Yeager, a service-disabled US Marine Corps veteran, framed the mission bluntly: “America has spent decades accepting manufacturing timelines that no longer match the urgency of the mission. We don't accept them.”
Bigger Portsmouth Footprint, More Jobs
The seed round follows the February announcement of a $10.5 million expansion in Portsmouth that will create 53 skilled manufacturing jobs — support Radian Forge already had from Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger's office and the state's economic development apparatus. Veteran Ventures general partner Joshua Weed said the round is really about naval readiness: “The United States cannot sustain naval power without a responsive manufacturing base capable of producing critical components at mission speed.”
Part Of A Larger US Reshoring Bet
Radian Forge's raise fits alongside a widening set of defense-industrial deals. See our recent coverage of Neros' $500M Army IDIQ for Archer FPV drones, the IDF's new unmanned systems and AI branch, and the Pentagon taking equity stakes in drone startups.
Reporting based on coverage from PR Newswire, Virginia Business, Virginia Economic Development Partnership and Area Development.