Regent secures $240 million Series B funding to scale Seaglider manufacturing and transform maritime mobility

Regent Craft, the developer and manufacturer of Seaglider vessels, announced today it has raised $240 million, an equal mix of equity and debt, in a Series B funding round co-led by Mare Liberum and AE Ventures, with debt capital provided by Erebor Bank, marking a major milestone in Regent's growth as it transitions from early-stage development toward full-scale manufacturing.

Reflecting strong investor conviction in Regent's future, the round closes in anticipation of a series of imminent milestones for the company, including the first human flight of its Viceroy prototype, new military partnerships, and commencement of manufacturing operations from its recently completed 255,000-square-foot Seaglider Manufacturing Facility.

Momentum is building on both the defence and commercial sides of the business, reinforcing Regent's position heading into full-scale manufacturing. The company has seen growing military interest across its product line, driven by the Department of War's prioritisation of maritime theatres. This includes an expanded US Marine Corps contract for the Viceroy Seaglider platform and rising interest in the autonomous Squire platform. In addition, Regent has grown a global commercial order book spanning six continents and booked multiple years of manufacturing capacity.

The investment follows a year of significant technical and commercial progress for Regent, including the completion of its 255,000-square-foot Seaglider Manufacturing Facility in Rhode Island, the successful military demonstrations of its Squire autonomous Seaglider drone, an increase in military contracts and interest across its Seaglider family of systems, and the announcement of its first commercial U.S. delivery and launch partner, The Twenty Five.

"This investment marks a critical inflection point for Regent as we move from development into production," said Billy Thalheimer, co-founder and CEO of Regent. "We have built significant momentum across both our defense and commercial pipelines, and this funding enables us to scale manufacturing, execute key certification milestones, and deliver Seagliders to customers. We could not have asked for stronger lead investors, combining the industry-leading maritime expertise of Mare Liberum with the unquestioned aerospace leadership of AE Ventures."

Backed by maritime, aviation, and defence leaders

The round brings together investors with deep roots in maritime, aviation, and national security, reflecting the breadth of Seaglider's applications across commercial and defence markets.

Mare Liberum is an investment firm dedicated to advancing stability and strategic advantage at sea. The firm invests at the intersection of critical technologies and the maritime domain, reflecting the growing strategic importance of Regent's Seaglider technology to the future of maritime defence. Mare Liberum is deepening its commitment to Regent, having participated in prior financing rounds.

"As maritime defense priorities evolve, operators need new capabilities that deliver greater speed, reach, and flexibility," said Admiral Lorin Selby, General Partner at Mare Liberum. "Regent is a leader in this emerging category with a strong track record of technical development and growing engagement with defense customers. By combining our expertise in maritime technology and national security with Regent's innovative leadership and proven ability to deliver, we are well positioned to accelerate the next phase of Seaglider technology and its adoption across the defense market."

AE Ventures, the venture capital platform of AE Industrial Partners, brings extensive expertise built over many years supporting businesses that develop mission-critical capabilities across the aerospace and national security markets. Regent joins an AE Ventures portfolio of early-stage companies tackling some of the most complex challenges across these markets.

"Regent is addressing a critical gap in maritime defense operations, and the progress made since the establishment of Regent Defense, including the first flight of Squire and the completion of its manufacturing facility, positions the business for its next phase of growth," said Brian Schettler, Partner and Head of AE Ventures. "We look forward to partnering with the Regent team as they scale manufacturing and pursue their next set of military and commercial milestones."

As a national bank built to serve the companies rebuilding America's industrial base, from defence and manufacturing to AI and advanced technology, Erebor Bank's participation as the debt provider reflects a broader bet on the U.S. reclaiming manufacturing leadership in critical, dual-use technologies, and on Regent as one of the companies poised to lead it.

"Rebuilding America's industrial base means banking the companies actually willing to build things again," said Owen Rapaport, co-founder and CEO of Erebor Bank. "Regent is proof that American manufacturing can still move at startup speed. We're proud to back a team turning a bold engineering bet into the real production lines this country needs."

Other new investors, including DCVC, bring a track record of backing deep-tech companies at the intersection of engineering and national security. Existing investors, including Founders Fund, Caffeinated Capital, Lockheed Martin Ventures, Japan Airlines, and Giant Step Capital, supported the round, demonstrating continued confidence in Regent's technology, commercial strategy and long-term vision.

Growing Seaglider demand worldwide

The investment supports Regent's expanding international presence across key commercial and defence markets. The company continues to deepen its partnership with the Strategic Development Fund, an Abu Dhabi-based investment company wholly owned by EDGE Group, as it plans early Seaglider operations and future manufacturing expansion in the UAE.

Regent is also partnering with Balnord in Poland to address urgent defence requirements in the Baltic Sea and with iGrow in Greece to unlock commercial opportunities across the Aegean Islands, one of the largest coastal transportation markets on the planet.