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Capital Factory

Hybrid venture fund, accelerator, coworking

Overview

Capital Factory is a hybrid hub for Texas startups, combining venture funding, an accelerator, and a coworking community. It supports early-stage companies—especially in deep tech, frontier tech, AI, robotics, healthcare, and national security—by providing capital through the Texas Fund and the All Access fund, plus mentorship from a network of technology leaders and access to customers and talent. It operates accelerator programs and coworking spaces in Austin, Dallas, and Houston and runs the Center for Dual-Use Innovation to connect startups with government and academic partners for defense-related innovation, helping portfolio companies win government funding. Its goal is to be the center of gravity for the Texas startup ecosystem, offering capital, mentorship, and strategic partnerships to help entrepreneurs grow and scale locally.

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About Capital Factory

Simplify's Rating
Why Capital Factory is rated
B-
Rated B on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Robotics & AutomationVenture CapitalAI & Machine LearningHealthcare

Company Size

201-500

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

$1.4B

Headquarters

Austin, Texas

Founded

2009

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • February 11, 2026 Apptronik raised $520 million, validating Capital Factory's robotics network.
  • August 18, 2026 Fincke's hiring strengthens space and advanced aerospace sourcing for portfolio companies.
  • Capital Factory's Texas-only DARPA accelerator status attracts defense founders and agency relationships.

What critics are saying

  • June 17, 2026 Joshua Baer died, removing Capital Factory's founder and chief executive.
  • Leadership transition risk intensifies if Bryan Chambers cannot preserve Baer's founder-led dealmaking.
  • If federal commercialization stalls, DARPA-funded startups migrate to better-capitalized competitors.

What makes Capital Factory unique

  • August 2024 DARPA named Capital Factory one of five Regional Commercial Accelerators.
  • August 2026 Mike Fincke and Keri Waters deepened Capital Factory's federal commercialization bench.
  • Capital Factory connects founders with DARPA, DIU, AFWERX, and NavalX at Capital Factory House.

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Funding

Total Funding

$1.4B

Above

Industry Average

Funded Over

0 Rounds

Benefits

  • Health Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Disability Insurance
  • Life Insurance
  • 401(k) Company Match
  • Parental Leave
  • Paid Vacation
  • Gym Membership

Company News

GlobeNewswire
Oct 13th, 2026
ICON raises $200M Series D to transform how the world builds.

ICON raises $200M Series D to transform how the world builds. World-class investment firms Baillie Gifford and BlackRock co-lead financing as ICON is on pace for 4x revenue growth in 2026, launches first commercial rollout of Titan print system and surpasses 270 3D-printed buildings. October 13, 2026 08:30 ET | Source: ICON Technology AUSTIN, Texas, Oct. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - ICON, the global leader in advanced construction technology, today announced its $200 million Series D financing co-led by Baillie Gifford and funds managed by BlackRock with participation from Capital Factory, CAZ Investments,, Moderne Ventures, Moonshots Capital, Norwest, Overmatch, The Syndicate, Tiger Global, among others. The financing will fuel the manufacturing and deployment of ICON's robotic construction systems, open a large-scale R&D facility in Austin, Texas, advance its next-generation construction technologies, including Titan and Olympus, and rapidly expand ICON's footprint across Texas, Florida, Washington D.C., and new U.S. markets. "ICON's construction system is compelling not just for its technology, but because it works with, rather than against, the business realities that shape a..." "When we started ICON, we believed intelligent machines could fundamentally change the way the world builds. What the last decade taught us is that belief..." "Construction automation has crossed from potential into proven reality, and this round is about putting that reality in builders' hands with more Titan..." "The industries hardest to change often have the most to gain, and the companies that transform them tend to become some of the most important of their..." "When we started ICON, we believed intelligent machines could fundamentally change the way the world builds. What the last decade taught us is that belief only matters if you can back it with real structures, real deployments, and real demand. We have all three," said Jason Ballard, co-founder and CEO of ICON. "Construction automation has crossed from potential into proven reality. This round puts that reality in builders' hands: more Titan systems deployed across the country, deeper capability in housing, commercial, and defense, and continued work on the technology that will one day build humanity's first structures beyond Earth. I believe we can imagine an end to the global housing crisis in our lifetime. We are grateful to the partners, builders, and investors who believed in this mission long enough to see it arrive." "The industries hardest to change often have the most to gain, and the companies that transform them tend to become some of the most important of their generation," said Luke Ward, Private Companies Investment Manager at Baillie Gifford. "ICON's construction system is compelling not just for its technology, but because it works with, rather than against, the business realities that shape a project's success. With it, builders can take on more work, owners can get better value for money, and communities can get more of what they need, sooner. As long-term investors, we look for exactly this kind of big opportunity for our clients, paired with patient, compounding execution, and we're leading this round to support Jason and the team as they introduce this capability to the wider industry." Construction is a $16 trillion global industry that has barely changed in half a century, leaving the U.S. roughly 4 million homes short of demand today. At the same time, the workforce that built the last century of housing is aging out: just 10% of U.S. construction workers are under 25, and 41% of the current workforce is expected to retire by 2031.* This structural crisis is one of the most consequential of our generation, and one ICON exists to solve. Today, the way humanity builds is fundamentally changing. This new era of construction is defined by intelligent machines, advanced building materials, and a digitally native approach designed to work together to build faster, at lower cost, and with significantly higher building performance. The Series D financing will initiate the production and manufacturing of Titan, ICON's multi-story robotic construction system, at the ICON factory located in Austin, Texas. The innovative print system is engineered to reduce the construction time of an average home by six weeks at 40% lower cost than the national average.** FormCrete, ICON's proprietary building material for 3D-printing, is engineered to deliver walls rated for 175+ mph wind versus 40 mph for traditional stick frames, and a 2+ hour fire rating versus 0.5 hours for conventional construction. ICON's vertical integration across robotics, software, advanced building materials, and building design is what enables the platform's efficiency and scalability. ICON presently operates three primary business units: Build, Tech, and Prime. Build is the foundation of everything ICON delivers, from resilient residential homes to commercial and hospitality buildings constructed with advanced robotic systems and materials. Tech is the engine powering a unified construction platform engineered to operate as one system, equipping builders to deliver structures faster, more sustainably, and at lower cost. Prime is ICON's dedicated defense and space division, deploying robotic construction systems to rebuild military readiness, strengthen national security infrastructure, and extend human presence beyond Earth. These distinct divisions reflect the company's evolution from proving a home-building technology to scaling a platform. ICON's expansion creates new opportunities for top talent to join a fast-growing company at the forefront of the most consequential reinvention of the built environment in a generation. ICON is on pace for 4x revenue growth in 2026. The company has built more than 270 homes and structures across five states and two countries, including Wolf Ranch in Georgetown, Texas, the world's first and largest community of 3D-printed homes, built with Lennar, more than a hundred homes for people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. through Community First! Village in Austin, and military installations for the U.S. Army. In January 2026, ICON broke ground on 10 barracks at Fort Bliss, the largest deployment of robotic construction technology in Department of War history and the first additively manufactured structures to meet the Pentagon's Unified Facilities Criteria. ICON Prime has been awarded more than $370 million in government contracts and continues to advance Project Olympus with NASA, developing the construction systems that will build on the Moon. About ICON ICON is the global leader in construction technology, developing robotics, intelligent software systems, and advanced materials that are changing the way the world builds on Earth and beyond. For more information visit www.iconbuild.com or follow the conversation on Instagram, X, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube (@icon3dtech). About Baillie Gifford Baillie Gifford is an independent investment manager founded in 1908, owned and run by 54 partners. While much has changed in 118 years, the firm's focus on seeking superior, long-term investment returns for clients remains constant. Baillie Gifford's mission is to identify game-changing companies capable of sustaining growth and delivering returns for decades to come. As at June 30, 2026, assets under management totalled $262bn // £197bn. Media Contact ICON: [email protected]

PR Newswire
Sep 1st, 2026
Senticell® Closes Oversubscribed Seed Round to Advance RBC-Based Liquid Biopsy Platform

/PRNewswire/ -- Senticell, Inc. ("Senticell" or the "Company"), a biotechnology company pioneering a new class of liquid biopsy built on red blood cell...

Associated Press
Aug 18th, 2026
Retired NASA astronaut Mike Fincke joins Capital Factory to commercialise US deep tech

Retired NASA astronaut Colonel Mike Fincke has joined Capital Factory Deep Tech as Senior Fellow and Senior Commercialization Advisor. Fincke, who spent 549 days in space across four spaceflights and commanded the International Space Station twice, concluded his 30-year NASA career this month. Capital Factory also appointed Keri Waters as Managing Director of Deep Tech Commercialisation. Waters previously founded Buoy Labs, which was acquired by Resideo, where she led a $320 million business unit. The appointments expand Capital Factory's work with DARPA and federal research agencies. In August 2024, DARPA selected Capital Factory as one of five regional Commercial Accelerators to help commercialise federally funded technologies. Fincke will advise portfolio companies in space systems and advanced aerospace whilst also serving as Professor of the Practice at MIT's Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Yahoo
Jun 17th, 2026
Capitol Factory founder, CEO Joshua Baer killed in Texas plane crash.

Capitol Factory founder, CEO Joshua Baer killed in Texas plane crash. Mateo Rosiles, USA TODAY NETWORK Wed, June 17, 2026 at 1:21 PM PDT Capital Factory has confirmed that its co-founder and CEO, Joshua Baer, was killed in a small plane crash in Laredo, Texas, on Tuesday night. The Austin-based startup accelerator confirmed the news to multiple news outlets in a statement on Wednesday, June 17, calling Baer a "visionary force, mentor and champion" for Texas's technology and startup ecosystem. "Josh was a fearless leader, a brilliant partner, and a dear friend to so many of us," Capital Factory president Bryan Chambers said in a statement to KVUE. "While we are devastated by this unimaginable loss, Josh built an incredibly resilient organization and a deeply capable team. Capital Factory remains fully operational, and we are completely committed to continuing his mission of backing unstoppable founders." Baer's death drew comments from several federal leaders from Texas. In a social media post on Wednesday, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said he was saddened to hear the news of his friend's death. "Josh was an innovative and creative leader in Austin's entrepreneurial culture and a stalwart supporter of growing Central Texas' military ecosystem," Cornyn's post read. "I and countless others will greatly miss him." "Josh has been one of the most significant figures driving innovation and entrepreneurship across America. In Texas, he made our state a global leader. His impact was incalculable," Cruz's post read. What is Capitol Factory? According to the company's website, Capitol Factory was founded by Baer in 2009 as a mentorship-driven software accelerator. Since then, it has grown into a venture capital firm that helps fund start-ups through its capital and connections. What we know about the Laredo plane crash. A Cessna 680A jet carrying six people headed from San José del Cabo, Mexico, crashed on Loop 20 at about 10 p.m. CT in Laredo, Texas, on Tuesday, June 16. According to officials, at 9:55 p.m., the aircraft radioed in to Laredo International Airport reporting mechanical issues. Minutes later, local police received 911 calls reporting a plane had crashed on the state highway. Officials confirmed that one person had been killed and that the five other people were evacuated from the aircraft. The investigation into the crash remains ongoing as the Federal Aviation Administration, the National Transportation Safety Board and local authorities investigate what happened. Mateo Rosiles is the Texas Connect reporter for USA TODAY and its regional papers in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him at [email protected].

Business Wire
Jun 12th, 2026
Artis Raises $7.3M Led by LiveOak Ventures to Handle the Work That Pulls Residential Architects, Designers, and Builders Away From Their Craft

Artis, a brand partner to residential architects, interior designers, and custom home builders shaping high-end residential work, today announced $7.3M in Se...

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