Kraken Technology Raises $175M Series B at $1B Valuation for Autonomous Maritime Defence Systems

Kraken Technology, a UK-based developer of autonomous uncrewed maritime systems, has closed a $175 million Series B funding round at a $1 billion valuation. The round was led by DTCP and included the NATO Innovation Fund, Rheinmetall, the British Business Bank, Inocea Group, and several other strategic investors. The company will use the capital to expand international manufacturing partnerships and accelerate deployment of its K3 SCOUT, K4 MANTA, K5 KRAKEN, and K7 SABRE autonomous vessel platforms, which are built using lightweight carbon-fibre composites and modular mission systems. CEO Mal Crease confirmed the platforms are already supporting operations in active conflict environments for the UK Ministry of Defence, NATO partners, and US Special Operations Command.

This funding signals the growing convergence of advanced manufacturing and defence procurement, particularly in maritime domains that have historically lagged behind aerial and land-based autonomous systems. Kraken’s manufacturing model is notable: rather than building its own shipyards, the company partners with established defence manufacturers such as Rheinmetall in Germany, Anduril in the US, and Davie Shipbuilding in Canada to enable local sovereign production. This approach mirrors the additive manufacturing industry’s own shift toward distributed, qualification-backed production partnerships rather than centralised factory builds. For the AM sector, Kraken’s reliance on carbon-fibre composites and modular platform design opens potential pull-through for advanced composite tooling, lightweight structural inserts, and on-demand spare parts produced via additive methods - particularly in metal PBF-LB and large-format polymer extrusion for maritime defence applications.

From an AM industry perspective, the practical takeaway is that Kraken’s manufacturing partnerships create a concrete demand signal for qualified, defence-grade additive production capacity in Europe and North America. The company’s need for rapid, sovereign, and scalable production aligns well with the capabilities of service bureaus and OEMs that have already navigated the aerospace qualification grind. The real test will be whether Kraken can integrate additive manufacturing into its supply chain as a repeatable production tool rather than a prototyping novelty - and whether its partners can deliver at the volumes and certification levels that active conflict environments demand.