Hermeus Raises $350 Million, Relocates HQ to El Segundo

Aerospace startup Hermeus announced a $350 million funding round on Tuesday, alongside plans to relocate its headquarters from Atlanta to El Segundo, California, as it advances development of autonomous hypersonic aircraft for military applications. The financing, which values the company at $1 billion, includes $200 million in equity led by Khosla Ventures and $150 million in debt, bringing total capital raised to more than $500 million since its founding in 2019.

The move signals Hermeus's shift toward scaling prototyping and design operations on the West Coast, while retaining its 110,000-square-foot Atlanta facility for production and assembly. The company has begun occupying a 67,000-square-foot space at 888 North Douglas Street in El Segundo, with full occupancy expected early next year. Executives anticipate employing more than 200 people there by then, contributing to a current workforce of about 300. The relocation taps into Southern California's engineering talent pool, particularly from former SpaceX employees, to support rapid iteration in aircraft development.

Hermeus's Quarterhorse program focuses on building unmanned aircraft that push speed boundaries. The first...