AI hardware startup Nominal triples valuation to $3B in 8 months

Nominal, an AI platform for hardware engineering whose customers include Anduril, has raised a new funding round that triples its valuation to $3 billion just eight months after its prior raise. The startup sells software intended to speed up the design and testing of physical hardware, and counts defense contractor Anduril among its major customers. The sharp markup signals continued investor appetite for AI tools applied to engineering-heavy industries rather than only software. The company has not disclosed the size of the new round or its revenue. Watch for whether Nominal converts its defense and hardware customer base into recurring revenue at a scale that justifies the new valuation.