Updated

Covenant, a defense startup backed by Marc Andreessen and Peter Thiel, opened a U.S. missile factory as it exits stealth mode. Founded in 2024, the company aims to speed up lower-cost missile manufacturing for the U.S. military. The launch adds to a wave of venture-backed defense manufacturing startups seeking to modernize and accelerate domestic weapons production amid heightened geopolitical tensions and Pentagon interest in faster procurement cycles.