London-based manufacturing startup Isembard has secured $50 million in fresh funding to accelerate its mission of reshoring critical manufacturing to Europe. The Series A round was led by Union Square Ventures, with Tamarack Global, IQ Capital, and Notion Capital joining existing backers. This follows a $9 million seed round in April 2025 from investors including 201 Ventures and NP-Hard Ventures.

Founded in late 2024, Isembard plans to deploy 25 new AI-powered factories by year-end, targeting defence, robotics, and aerospace sectors. The company's franchise model enables existing small and medium factories to upgrade using its proprietary software, which integrates quoting, scheduling, quality control, and delivery into a single agentic operating layer. Isembard will expand into France, Germany, and Ukraine.

CEO Alexander Fitzgerald emphasized the strategic importance of local supply chains for Europe's tech sovereignty, noting that many critical technologies still rely on Chinese manufacturing. The company's approach addresses a key vulnerability in supply chains for military drones and other sensitive technologies. With operations already in Europe and the US, Isembard aims to strengthen industrial resilience while supporting prime contractors and startups like drone makers Stark and Quantum Systems.