From autonomous drones to holographic displays, today’s most exciting hardware startups are building the physical components, devices, gadgets and infrastructure that enable the next generation of technology. These companies aren’t just refining what already exists — they’re reimagining what’s possible in industries like defense, energy, mobility, artificial intelligence and advanced computing. Here’s a closer look at some of the top players driving these innovations.
Top Hardware Startups to Know
- Anduril Industries
- Formlabs
- Cerebras Systems
- CoreWeave
- Relativity Space
- Skydio
- SpaceX
- ChargePoint
Top Hardware Startups to Know
Anduril Industries develops autonomous defense technologies, including surveillance towers, AI-powered drones, vertical take off-and-landing aircraft and underwater vehicles. Its flagship product, the Lattice AI system, is a software platform that fuses sensor data, turning the information into a real-time map of what's happening on the battlefield in order to help military teams see, decide and act faster. Founded in 2017, the California-based company also works with border security clients, and has secured multi-billion-dollar defense contracts with the United States Department of Defense.
Formlabs manufactures professional-grade 3D printers. Prized for their high resolution and accessible price points, its products have been widely adopted by dental, engineering and healthcare industries. The Massachusetts-based company was founded by three MIT students in 2011, and is now the largest supplier of high-resolution stereolithography (or SLA) and selective laser sintering printers in the world. To date, it has shipped more than 130,000 of its desktop printers globally.
Cerebras Systems designs ultra-large AI chips, including the Wafer Scale Engine — the largest computer processor ever built. Its flagship system, the CS-3, uses four-trillion transistors and 900,000 AI cores to power deep learning model training for research labs, enterprises and government agencies. In 2024, Cerebras launched the Condor Galaxy, an exascale supercomputer tailored for generative AI.
CoreWeave offers GPU-based cloud infrastructure optimized for artificial intelligence, machine learning and visual effects. While primarily a cloud provider, the company also designs and manages its own data center hardware to deliver high-performance computing at scale to its clients, such as Meta and Microsoft. Originally founded as an Ethereum mining operation in 2017, CoreWeave pivoted to become one of the fastest-growing AI cloud providers.
Relativity Space is developing its medium-to-heavy lift reusable rocket, Terran R. In 2023, the California-based company successfully launched its smaller rocket, Terran 1, marking the first orbital flight of a primarily 3D-printed rocket. Launching rockets is a step towards the company’s long-term goal of building an industrial base on Mars.
Skydio makes autonomous, AI-powered drones that are primarily used for inspection, defense and public safety. Its flagship drone, the X10, uses advanced sensors and real-time decision-making to operate remotely in GPS-denied environments with minimal human input. Skydio offers a complete drone ecosystem — including docks, software and workflow integrations — that has clocked in more than two million customer flights, according to the company.
Starlink, a division of SpaceX, designs and deploys a global satellite internet network using low-Earth orbit satellites. The Texas-based company also has a dedicated manufacturing arm to produce ground terminals for global broadband internet at scale. As of early 2025, Starlink operates more than 7,000 satellites.
ChargePoint operates one of the largest networks of electric vehicle charging stations, managing over 274,000 active charging ports globally. Founded in 2004, the California-based company designs and manufactures hardware for both home and commercial EV chargers, like the popular Home Flex residential charger, powering more than 14 billion miles to date.
Radiant is building portable nuclear microreactors designed to provide clean, off-grid energy solutions. Capable of delivering more than one megawatt of standalone power with zero emissions, these reactors are designed to be easily transported and rapidly deployed for military, disaster relief or remote commercial uses. Kaleidos, its flagship product, offers an energy density that’s 110 times greater than diesel generators, according to the company.
Flock Safety builds camera systems designed to read license plates and capture vehicle data for law enforcement, schools and neighborhood associations. By collecting recorded evidence, its products — which also includes parking lot mobile security trailers, gunshot detection software and autonomous drones-as-first-responder flocks — aim to deter crime and assist police investigations through fixed-location and mobile surveillance hardware. As of 2025, Flock’s cameras were used in more than 5,000 communities, according to the company’s website.
Axelera AI develops edge AI hardware, including the Titania and Metis AI chips, designed for computer vision and generative AI workloads. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company focuses on making high-performance AI processing more accessible for industrial and commercial applications, including manufacturing, retail, robotics and healthcare. Its Metis AI platform delivers up to 214 trillion operations per second — or 39.3 trillion calculations per second — in a single chip.
Gecko Robotics creates wall-climbing robots that inspect industrial infrastructure — such as power plants, bridges and refineries — using fixed sensors and predictive AI. These machines gather detailed structural data to help prevent catastrophic failures and optimize maintenance schedules for its clients, including Shell, Chevron and the United States Navy. For example, robots from its TOKA Flex Series collect tens of thousands more data points than traditional inspections, cover up to 60 feet per minute and significantly reduce inspection time by several days.
Hadrian builds highly automated factories to manufacture precision components for aerospace and defense industries. Founded in 2020, its platform combines robotics, CNC machining and software to reduce the time and cost of producing mission-critical parts. The California-based company aims to manufacture parts 10 times faster than traditional methods, while halving production costs of rockets, satellites, jets and drones.
Boom Supersonic is developing supersonic airliners designed to significantly reduce international flight times. So far, the Colorado-based company’s aircrafts include the Overture, a commercial passenger jet with a Mach 1.7 cruising speed, and the XB-1, a demonstrator aircraft used to test new technologies. Founded in 2014, Boom Supersonic aims to create airplanes that run on 100 percent sustainable aviation fuel, and is building aircraft at its “superfactory” in North Carolina, which was completed in 2024.
Mojo Vision develops advanced micro-LED display technology for use in consumer, enterprise and government applications. The California-based company is known for creating the world’s first AR smart contact lens, showcasing the prototype in an on-eye demonstration in 2022, and has since shifted focus to MicroLED displays. Mojo Vision’s platform now supports a broader range of products, including next-generation wearables, displays and optical interconnects for AI infrastructure, which benefits from its proprietary “quantum-dot” technology — featuring 28,000 pixels per inch — and a 300mm manufacturing process.
Joby Aviation designs and manufactures electric vertical takeoff and landing aircrafts, also known as eVTOLs, intended for air taxi services. Currently, the company is working with FAA regulators to certify its Joby S4 vehicle, and, in 2024, it conducted its first piloted, wing-borne flight, where it transitioned from vertical take-off to cruise mode, then back again, above California.
Astranis designs small, low-cost geostationary satellites for internet delivery, with a particular focus on underserved regions. With satellites weighing at just 350 kilograms, the company’s micro-satellite approach significantly reduces launch and operational costs compared to traditional models. Operating five in-orbit satellites today, the California-based company plans to launch 100 satellites by 2030.
Light Field Lab develops holographic display technologies that projects true 3D visuals without the need for headgear or special glasses. The company’s immersive, solid-state light field displays are targeted at applications in entertainment, communication and simulation industries. In 2022, its SolidLight modular holographic system was named one of Times’ Best Inventions.
Oura makes a smart ring device that tracks health metrics such as sleep, stress, recovery and activity levels. Like a Fitbit, this wearable device uses sensors to monitor biometrics like body temperature, heart rate variability and respiratory rate, providing users with daily health insights. Headquartered in Finland, the company has sold more than 2.5 million rings to date.
Nearfield Instruments specializes in precision metrology tools that allow chipmakers to inspect and measure nanoscale features on silicon wafers. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company’s scanning probe microscopes enable advanced quality control during semiconductor manufacturing in support of a wide range of industries, including cloud computing, mobile communication and big data.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a hardware startup?
A hardware startup is a relatively new company focused on designing, manufacturing and selling physical products, such as electronic devices or machines. Examples include satellite manufacturer SpaceX or Oura, which makes rings that track wearers’ sleep, stress, activity levels and more.
What is the difference between a hardware and software startup?
Hardware startups build physical products like tech devices, vehicles or machinery, which typically requires significant upfront capital, research, manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure. Software startups, on the other hand, create digital products like apps or websites, which are generally less expensive to develop and easier to scale. For example, OpenAI develops software-based AI products like chatbots and language models, whereas Cerebras Systems develops the actual chips and computers these AI products run on.
What are some popular hardware accelerators and incubators?
Popular hardware startup accelerators and incubators include HAX, Y Combinator, Plug and Play and Deeptech Labs. These programs offer mentorship, funding and a variety of other resources to help hardware startups grow.
