Ex-Facebook VR exec says he'll turn U.S. troops into 'invincible technomancers,' just raised $450 million (2024)

Ex-Facebook VR exec says he'll turn U.S. troops into 'invincible technomancers,' just raised $450 million (1)

VIDEO4:4904:49

Anduril co-founder on its valuation doubling, to $4.6 billion

Anduril founder Palmer Luckey announced Thursday that his start-up has raised an additional $450 million in funding, which will be used to "turn allied warfighters into invincible technomancers." The company is now valued at $4.6 billion.

Luckey is best known for selling Oculus to Facebook in 2014 for $2 billion before he was fired in 2017 amid controversy for his political donations and financial support of far-right groups. But his announcement of the new funding was unusual.

"We just raised $450M in Series D funding for Anduril," Luckey said on Twitter. "It will be used to turn American and allied warfighters into invincible technomancers who wield the power of autonomous systems to safely accomplish their mission. Our future roadmap is going to blow you away, stay tuned!

Technomancers sometimes appear in post-modern role-playing video games and in science fiction, often as sort of magical wizard-like people with technology enhancements.

Anduril Industries is a defense company that, among other things, provides border control technology, including towers with cameras and infrared sensors that use artificial intelligence to track movement, in states such as Texas and California.

The company said it's capable of deploying its artificial intelligence platform, called Lattice, in other places, such as military bases in the U.S. to help detect and track intrusions by other people and vehicles, including drones.

Elad Gil, who led the funding round, said Thursday that society isn't prepared for the growing number of threats and that companies such as Anduril can help in a multitude of areas, from natural disasters to cyberattacks.

He said Anduril provides "sensor networks, towers, drones, and powerful software that ties it all together — whose potential uses include protecting our troops on base, defending our energy infrastructure, combating wildfires, stopping human traffickers, creating a "virtual border" (a rare bipartisan idea), and fighting drug cartels. Many of these potential uses can directly save lives."

Other tech companies are working to make American troops more lethal. Microsoft, for example, won an Army contract in March worth up to $21.9 billion to provide special versions of its HoloLens augmented reality headsets to U.S. fighters.

Andreessen Horowitz, 8VC, Founders Fund, General Catalyst, Lux Capital, Valor Equity Partners and D1 Capital all participated in the round.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect the full name of the company is Anduril Industries.

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Ex-Facebook VR exec says he'll turn U.S. troops into 'invincible technomancers,' just raised $450 million (2024)

FAQs

How much did Anduril sell for? ›

Anduril was launched in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the founder of virtual reality headset maker Oculus VR. It was acquired in 2014 by Meta Platforms Inc., then Facebook Inc., for $2 billion.

How much is Anduril worth? ›

The defense tech company is now valued at $8.48 billion. SoCal-based Anduril supplies the U.S. government with high-tech defense solutions for the military, and it recently secured new funding.

How much is Palmer Luckey worth? ›

Oculus VR was acquired by Facebook in March 2014 for US$3 billion. Although Luckey's share was not made public, Forbes magazine estimated the founder's net worth to be $700 million in 2015.

Who is the owner of Anduril? ›

Overview. Palmer Luckey is the Founder of Anduril Industries. He is also the designer of the Oculus Rift, a virtual reality head-mounted display, and the founder of Oculus VR. VR, which was acquired two years later by Facebook for $2.3b.

What is the latest funding round for Andúril? ›

Anduril Industries has raised a total of $2.2B in funding over 6 rounds. Their latest funding was raised on Dec 2, 2022 from a Series E round. Anduril Industries is funded by 34 investors. Palumni VC and FJ Labs are the most recent investors.

How does Andúril make money? ›

Anduril builds software and hardware enhanced with artificial intelligence and machine learning for their military and defense industry. It works with the U.S. and its allies to create drones, underwater vehicles and different operating and control systems.

Can I invest in Andúril? ›

Anduril is a private company and not publicly traded. If you are interested in buying or selling private company shares, you can register with Forge today for free to explore your options. Registering gives you access to one of our Private Market Specialists who can guide you through the process of buying or selling.

How was Andúril broken? ›

Isildur picks up the sword to fight Sauron himself, but Sauron knocks aside Isildur's attacks and stomps on the blade, shattering it into several pieces.

Who has invested in Andúril? ›

Financials
DateInvestorsAmount
Aug 2017Founders FundN/A
May 2018Founders Fund$41m
Sep 2019Andreessen Horowitz Oculus CNBCN/A Valuation: $1.0b
Jul 2020General Catalyst Partners Lux Capital Andreessen Horowitz Valor Equity Partners Founders Fund Elad Gil 8VC Human Capital$200m Valuation: $1.9b
4 more rows

Does Mark Zuckerberg own Oculus? ›

Oculus was acquired by Facebook in 2014 for $2 billion as part of the company's hugely expensive and near decade-long pursuit of its virtual reality universe.

What company owns Oculus? ›

Luckey launched Oculus in 2012, before selling it to Facebook for $2 billion (€1.99 billion) in 2014.

How much is Oculus worth now? ›

Facebook Inks Deal Worth $2 Billion With Virtual Reality Company Oculus VR
Company AcquiredYearPurchase Amount
Instagram12 April 2012$1billion
Whatsapp19 March 2014$19 billion
Oculus25 March 2014$ 2 billion

What is written on Andúril sword? ›

The inscription on the blade reads – “Nanye Andúril i ne Narsil i macil Elendilo. Lercuvanten i mali Mordoreo.” which translates in English to “I am Anduril, who was Narsil, the sword of Elendil. Let the thralls of Mordor flee me.”

What is Aragorn's sword called before Andúril? ›

The mythical shards of Narsil are said to have remained in the Elvish settlement Rivendell for over 3000 years until Arwen, who prophecies Aragorn's legacy, persuades her father Elrond to reforge the sword and present it to Aragorn, who renames it Andúril.

Are Andúril and Narsil the same sword? ›

Narsil was the sword of King Elendil of the Dúnedain. It was later known as Andúril.

How long do funding rounds last? ›

A round of equity funding can take around three to four months. You should anticipate that each round of funding will take at least this much time. The actual time may vary depending on any number of factors such as the scale of the round, track record of past successes, key metrics, etc.

How long are funding rounds? ›

A typical range is somewhere between 12 and 18 months. There are significant differences in the amount raised by companies at this stage, but expect rounds to range from $50,000 to $2,000,000.

How many rounds of funding are there? ›

The initial investment—also known as seed funding—is followed by various rounds, known as Series A, B, and C. A new valuation is done at the time of each funding round. Valuations are determined by various factors, including market size, company potential, current revenues, and management.

How long is Aragorn's lifespan? ›

Aragorn led the forces of the Reunited Kingdom on military campaigns against some Easterlings and Haradrim, re-establishing rule over much territory that Gondor had lost in previous centuries. He died at the age of 210, after 122 years as king.

What does Andúril company do? ›

Anduril Industries Inc (Anduril) is a military technology company. It is specialized in developing hardware and software applications to monitor risks and enhance surveillance. The company's products include Menace, Sentry, Ghost, ALTIUS, Anvil, Dust, WISP and Dive-LD.

Is Andúril an Elvish sword? ›

It also had many cirth. Its blade was notably brilliant, justifying its name. Later, it was given an Elven sheath with a tracery of flowers and leaves wrought of silver and gold and the name Andúril and the lineage of the sword set in elven runes formed of gems.

Was Andúril a flaming sword? ›

Andúril, also known as The Flame of the West is the reforged sword of Aragorn II Elessar, King of Gondor and Arnor in the Third and Fourth Age. After the Council of Elrond, the Elves of Rivendell reforged together the shards of the Legendary sword, Narsil.

Is Andúril a longsword or a greatsword? ›

In the movie adaptations, however, Andúril is clearly depicted as a longsword. Andúril features a leather-wrapped grip, a cruciform hilt, and a uniquely shaped pommel. This sword could be used with either one or two hands, and makes practical sense for a fighter like Aragorn, so its design is perfectly plausible.

Who owns Aragorn's sword? ›

In the movies, though, Viggo Mortensen's Aragorn sports a nameless sword throughout the first two films. Eventually, Elrond shows up in The Return of the King and gives him the heirloom before he heads out on the Paths of the Dead.

Is Isildur A Nazgul? ›

As one of the nine Nazgûl, Isildur was forced to serve the Dark Lord for all time until he was defeated and freed by Talion. The ranger later claimed his ring to survive after Celebrimbor abandoned him and eventually took Isildur's place among the Nazgûl after holding back Sauron's forces for decades.

Could Halbrand be Sauron? ›

Galadriel immediately becomes suspicious and soon confronts Halbrand. He concedes that, yes, he is Sauron, and hopes to restore order to Middle-earth. He offers her a place alongside him as his queen.

Is Gandalf in the Rings of Power? ›

On the official Rings of Power podcast, they reminded listeners that there are five known wizards in Tolkien's canon, including Gandalf, Saruman, Radagast, and the mysterious Blue Wizards, Alatar and Pallandro. "We know wizards can be good and bad," Payne said.

Is Aragorn the heir of Elendil? ›

"He was Aragorn son of Arathorn, the nine and thirtieth heir in the right line from Isildur, and yet more like Elendil than any before him." Aragorn was a descendant of Elros Tar-Minyatur. His ancestorArvedui was wedded to Fíriel, who bore their son Aranarth, making Aragorn the last descendant of Anárion as well.

Who owned Glamdring before Gandalf? ›

Glamdring was a sword, said to have belonged to Turgon, but best known as the weapon of Gandalf during the War of the Ring. It was known in Westron as the Foe-hammer, and Orcs knew it as Beater.

Is Dúnedain part of Elf? ›

The Dúnedain were descended from the Edain, the Elf-friends: the few tribes of Men of the First Age who sided with the Noldorin Elves in Beleriand. The original leader of the Edain was Bëor the Old, a vassal of the Elf lord Finrod. His people settled in Eldar lands.

Who owns the metaverse? ›

The short answer: no one, and everyone. The longer, more helpful answer: the tool builders, the software developers, world builders, artists, 3D modelers, game developers, users, investors, those are the proverbial owners of the metaverse.

Why is Meta struggling? ›

Meta's earnings have slumped this year, not just due to decreased ad spend, but because of its multi-billion-dollar investments into Reality Labs.

Which VR company is owned by Facebook? ›

Reality Labs is a business and research unit of Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook Inc.) that produces virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) hardware and software, including virtual reality headsets such as Quest, and online platforms such as Horizon Worlds.

What VR game kills u? ›

The inventor of the Oculus Rift says he has created a VR headset that will blow people's minds, literally. Palmer Luckey has built a custom VR headset he claims will kill the user in real life if they die in the video game. The device is based on the popular anime and novel series Sword Art Online.

Does Facebook track Oculus? ›

Your VR Data and Facebook Data May Be Cross-referenced

The list further above is the data Meta captures about your VR use, but if you're using Quest 2, your VR data is inherently associated with data collected by Meta on your non-VR activity via Facebook.

Who is Oculus biggest competitor? ›

Oculus's competitors

Unity Technologies (also known as Unity Software) is a company that develops a platform for creating and operating interactive and real-time 3D (RT3D) content. Niantic is a technology company that develops augmented reality platforms.

Is buying an oculus worth buying? ›

From Meta's robust built-in app store to the many great PC-based experiences available through Quest Link, the selection of apps and games is one of the best you'll find on any VR headset. The $400 starting price, while more expensive than before, makes this the most approachable high-quality VR headset on the market.

Is it smart to invest in oculus? ›

If you are looking for stocks with good return, Oculus VisionTech Inc can be a profitable investment option. Oculus VisionTech Inc quote is equal to 0.1050 USD at 2023-01-30. Based on our forecasts, a long-term increase is expected, the "OVTZ" stock price prognosis for 2028-01-19 is 0.5013 USD.

Is VR worth it 2022? ›

Whether you are a long-time user of VR or a new user, I personally think that VR is still very much worth it in 2022. J As I stated in the beginning, we have a long way to go to truly achieve virtual reality at its peak, but for the time being I feel that it is in a great spot.

Who fell from the sky Rings of Power? ›

As it turns out, the Mystery Meteor Man is indeed one of the Istari. With strange hooded figures following the tracks of his falling from the sky in the first episode, they finally catch up with the Stranger right at the beginning of the finale, and immediately call him... Lord Sauron.

Is Aragorn half elf? ›

Aragorn is not half Elf, although he is a descendant of Elros, who is half Elf (and the brother of Elrond, the half-Elf who raised him), which explains why Aragorn's life span is unusually long.

What does Arwen's sword say? ›

Inscribed on the blade are runes in the Elven language of Sindarin that say: aen estar Hadhafang i chathol hen, thand arod dan i thang an i Arwen, which translates to: This blade is called Hadhafang, a noble defense against the enemy throng for a noble lady.

Why do they call Aragorn elessar? ›

A legend says that the Wizard Gandalf had brought such a stone, called the Elessar, from Valinor. He gave the Elessar to the Elven Lady Galadriel, and remarked prophetically that she would pass it to another, who will also be called Elessar. From this would come Aragorn's royal name Elessar (Quenya for "Elfstone").

How does Elendil become king? ›

The son and heir of the last Lord of Andúnië, who escaped the wreck of Númenor with his sons Isildur and Anárion. Fleeing the Downfall, they were carried by the Sea to Middle-earth and there founded the kingdoms of Arnor and Gondor, with Elendil as High King over the new Kingdoms of the Dúnedain.

What is Arwen's jewel? ›

the Evenstar, a jewel which Arwen gives to her love Aragorn; invented for The Lord of the Rings film series directed by Peter Jackson. The Evenstar, a ship in Janny Wurts's Wars of Light and Shadow.

How are orcs made? ›

In The Book of Lost Tales, it is said that Orcs were "bred from the heats and slimes of the earth" through the sorcery of Morgoth. Again, Tolkien later changed this, as Morgoth could not create life on his own. This led to the most popular theory that Orcs were created from corrupted Elves.

Who were the nine Ringwraiths? ›

2001-: The Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game:

All the Nazgûl are named - The Witch-king of Angmar, The Dark Marshal, Khamûl The Easterling, The Betrayer, The Shadow Lord, The Undying, The Dwimmerlaik, The Tainted and The Knight of Umbar.

Why do the Elves have Narsil? ›

The blade was given as a gift to one of the first Elven High Kings and, a few generations later, Narsil was inherited by Elrond's brother Elros, the first King of Númenor. Many, many generations later in Númenor, Elendil was born as a direct descendant of Elros and that is how he inherited the sword in Tolkien Lore.

Is Anduril on the stock market? ›

Is Anduril a publicly traded company? Anduril is a private company and not publicly traded.

How much is Aragorn's sword worth? ›

In addition, there will be Aragorn's sword (pictured below) with an estimate of $50,000-$70,000. Gimli's battleaxe (pictured below) with an estimate of $50,000-$70,000 and wizard Gandalf's staff with an estimate of $50,000-$70,000.

How was Anduril broken? ›

Isildur picks up the sword to fight Sauron himself, but Sauron knocks aside Isildur's attacks and stomps on the blade, shattering it into several pieces.

What was Aragorn's sword before Anduril? ›

In The Lord of the Rings film trilogy directed by Peter Jackson, Narsil was not broken in two but into several parts (which were kept at Rivendell), and is not reforged into Andúril until the third film. Aragorn uses an ordinary sword during the first two films.

Does Dave Ramsey recommend the stock market? ›

Dave recommends a buy-and-hold strategy when it comes to investing. The stock market is like a roller coaster. There are going to be ups, there are going to be downs, and the only people who get hurt are the ones who try to jump off before the ride is over.

Is Elf a buy? ›

e.l.f. Beauty has received a consensus rating of Buy. The company's average rating score is 2.71, and is based on 10 buy ratings, 4 hold ratings, and no sell ratings.

Is Anduril an Elvish sword? ›

It also had many cirth. Its blade was notably brilliant, justifying its name. Later, it was given an Elven sheath with a tracery of flowers and leaves wrought of silver and gold and the name Andúril and the lineage of the sword set in elven runes formed of gems.

What is the most powerful weapon in Lord of the Rings? ›

The One Ring is by far the most formidable weapon in Middle-earth, at least until its destruction in the fires of Mount Doom. This plain piece of jewelry contains enough power to level mountains, as it bears the spiritual essence of Sauron himself.

How much is King Arthur's sword worth? ›

Some $17 million. That said, the trade in artifacts – while certainly a spark for the imagination – is most likely a fool's errand, according to archaeologists and people who run auction houses.

Why do they call Aragorn Elessar? ›

A legend says that the Wizard Gandalf had brought such a stone, called the Elessar, from Valinor. He gave the Elessar to the Elven Lady Galadriel, and remarked prophetically that she would pass it to another, who will also be called Elessar. From this would come Aragorn's royal name Elessar (Quenya for "Elfstone").

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