Furientis

Furientis is a defense technology startup focused on addressing the shortage of interceptor missiles for military applications. Founded in 2025 by Brody Franzen and Aris Simsarian, the company is developing cost-effective, ship-based defensive munitions designed for high-volume production. The founding team brings extensive experience from aerospace startups, including Virgin Orbit, Castelion, and Virgin Galactic. Simsarian previously served as a Propulsion Engineer and Manager of Rocket Engine Test at Virgin Orbit, while Franzen was Deputy Chief Engineer at Virgin Galactic and a Senior Engineer at Castelion. The company's mission is to counter the unsustainable economics of modern naval warfare, where high-cost interceptors are used against inexpensive threats like drones. Furientis aims to resolve this imbalance by manufacturing critical defensive munitions at a high rate, targeting the production of thousands of units per year to supplement existing systems. The firm's product development centers on rapid, end-user-driven spiral development. Their interceptor systems are engineered for manufacturability, featuring cost-effective multimodal seekers, a scalable solid rocket motor (SRM) chemistry, and designs that allow for a 30-minute final assembly. In its first six months, Furientis conducted six flight tests and ten static-fire tests of its demonstrator missile platform. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Furientis operates out of a 9,000-square-foot facility. In May 2026, the company emerged from stealth, announcing a $5 million pre-seed funding round led by Silent Ventures, with participation from Bessemer Venture Partners, SV Angel, and founders of companies like Anduril and Armada. This capital is intended to expand initial production, accelerate testing, and grow the engineering and manufacturing teams. Furientis has established a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) to test and refine its systems with direct feedback from naval experts. Keywords: defense technology, interceptor systems, aerospace, defensive munitions, naval warfare, scalable manufacturing, solid rocket motor, missile production, drone countermeasures, military hardware, cost-effective defense, ship-based interceptors, munitions manufacturing, rapid prototyping, national security, flight testing, propulsion systems, guidance systems, defense supply chain, tactical missiles