Perseus Materials closes strategic investment from Lockheed Martin

Perseus Materials, a venture-backed startup building the world's fastest large-scale manufacturing system for composite parts, announced the closure of a strategic investment by Lockheed Martin. Founded in 2022 by Stanford researchers, Perseus will begin expanding its team, fulfill its first customer orders, and grow its physical footprint.

“We’re not interested in making marginal improvements to 3D printing,” says Daniel Lee, CEO and co-founder of Perseus Materials. “The fabrication of large, complex, expensive, and time-consuming structures that drive manufacturing cycles require new approaches to engineering and design. That’s why Perseus has developed an entirely new method for additive manufacturing that shapes materials in ways previously thought impossible.”

Perseus is approaching the problems of large format manufacturing and changing the nature of the materials requirements, leading to faster production, lower energy demands, and the ability to manufacture at full scale directly in the field. The company’s modular system, designed specifically for large parts, will be exhibited at JEC World 2026 after winning the organization’s 2025 startup competition. At JEC, Perseus will exhibit the fabrication of a 15-foot boat demonstrating the scale, throughput, and structural integrity of its manufacturing process.

“Our work at Lockheed Martin Ventures supports promising companies that expand the U.S. industrial base and advance innovative technologies for the future of national defense,” says Chris Moran, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Ventures. “Perseus’ innovative composite production process can help accelerate design and prototype manufacturing while reducing costs and eliminating tooling, helping Lockheed Martin accelerate its ability to meet the needs of the Department of War and our nation’s warfighters.”

Lockheed Martin’s strategic investment reflects increased demand for advanced manufacturing methods capable of rapidly and affordably producing high-quality, high-performance structures. Early market traction includes manufacturing internal blade components for a major enterprise wind turbine manufacturer and exploring naval defense applications.

Perseus was backed early by Roadrunner Fund and incubated by Roadrunner Venture Studios, the nation’s first venture studio for deep technology company creation. Roadrunner supports early-stage founders whose critical technologies offer real benefits to economic prosperity and national security.

“Perseus is exactly the kind of company Roadrunner exists to build—a breakthrough technology born from deep science with clear implications for security and competitiveness,” says Adam Hammer, CEO and co-founder of Roadrunner Venture Studios. “Dan and his team are solving a foundational manufacturing bottleneck that has held back entire industries. This is the kind of innovation that can reshape how America builds at scale.”

Perseus’s team includes experienced engineers from Bombardier, Exxon, Whirlpool, and other top aerospace, design, and appliance companies. As it scales from a breakthrough process into industrial production, the company also plans to explore defense-relevant manufacturing applications, including composite structures for more maritime use cases. The company has brought in millions in government grants and contracts to accomplish its mission.