* Anduril announced Wednesday it's raised $200 million in new funding.
* The startup military contractor, founded by Oculus designer Palmer Luckey, is now valued at $1.9 billion, nearly double its valuation at its last funding round in September.
* VC firm Andreessen Horowitz led the round.
* Anduril plans to use the funds to continue developing its surveillance, drone, and artificial intelligence technologies and to augment its workforce.
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Anduril, the startup defense contractor founded by Palmer Luckey, is now a nearly $2 billion company.
The California-based firm announced Wednesday that it's raised $200 million in a Series C financing round led by Andreessen Horowitz that values it at $1.9 billion. The new funding more than doubles the amount it's raised in total and nearly doubles its valuation from its last financing round in September, when investors pegged its worth at $1 billion.
"This vote of confidence from our investors was due to our team, our technology and our unique business approach," company spokeswoman Shannon Prior said in an emailed statement
Anduril offers or is developing drone, autonomous surveillance towers, and artificial intelligence technologies for use by the US and allied militaries and by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) service. It plans to use the new funds to continue work on its products and technology and to hire additional workers, Prior said. Anduril currently has 230 employees — 250, including interns — and plans to have about 300 by the end of the year, she said.
Founded by Luckey after he left Facebook, to which he sold Oculus, the virtual-reality company he previously started, Anduril has drawn controversy since nearly its start. Luckey has drawn scrutiny in Silicon Valley for supporting Donald Trump in the 2016 elections and helping fund a series of billboard ads that insulted Hillary Clinton. The company's first contract, signed in 2017, was with CBP, which also raised eyebrows, because it came at about the same time that the Trump administration was putting in place harsh new anti-immigrant policies.
In addition to Andreessen Horowitz, 8VC, Elad Gil, Founders Fund, General Catalyst, Human Capital, Lux Capital, and Valor Equity Partners also participated in the round.
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