Backed by Kleiner Perkins and Costanoa, Nidus is targeting one of the biggest bottlenecks in military manufacturing: production capacity.
Nidus has announced $30 million in funding to deploy AI-powered robotic systems inside US defense factories.
The financing includes backing from Kleiner Perkins, Costanoa, Ludlow Ventures, SF1, Absolute Partners and Tau, alongside individual investors including Hadrian founder Chris Power.
The company was founded in 2025 by Justin Sealy, Charu Dwivedi, Harrison Nguyen and Cane Punma.
Unlike robotics startups focused primarily on demonstrations, Nidus is developing systems intended for deployment in existing industrial environments.
Starting With Wire Harnesses
Nidus is initially targeting the production of electrical wire harnesses, components found inside aircraft, missiles, vehicles and other military equipment.
Manufacturing these components involves repetitive operations and highly specific quality requirements.
The company uses embodied AI, combining machine learning with physical robotic systems, to automate production tasks.
Its strategy is to increase manufacturing output without requiring customers to build entirely new factories.
The Defense Manufacturing Opportunity
Defense manufacturers face pressure to expand production capacity while managing labor constraints, supply chain vulnerabilities and stringent quality standards.
Nidus believes robotics can help address these limitations.
The company plans to expand beyond wire harnesses into additional industrial workflows.
The $30 million investment will support engineering, deployment and expansion within American defense manufacturing.
The challenge is translating robotic capabilities into reliable production improvements under demanding industrial conditions.
For investors, Nidus represents a bet that industrial AI will create value not only through software but also by increasing the output of existing physical infrastructure.
Founders: Justin Sealy, Charu Dwivedi, Harrison Nguyen and Cane Punma.