Austin-Based Saronic Technologies Expands into Downtown San Diego
The three-year-old fast-growing defense tech startup signs new 80,000 SFT lease.
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Saronic Technologies an Austin-based defense firm has signed a 80,000-square-foot lease in Downtown San Diego for its newest operations facility.
The brand-new facility will provide the startup proximity to the U.S. & Allied maritime partners, according to the company's executives.
“San Diego is a critical node in the U.S. maritime defense landscape, and we’re excited to join and contribute to this lively community,” said Rob Lehman, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer at Saronic.
“Our presence in San Diego reflects our commitment not only to our Navy partners, but to the region’s economic revitalization and innovation ecosystem,” he added.
While the exact location within Downtown San Diego has not yet been disclosed, this marks the first expansion on the West Coast for Saronic Technologies.
The news comes five months after Saronic acquired an additional 420,000 square-foot facility in Austin, increasing its total presence to more than 520,000 square feet of commercial industrial space.
Founding Story
Saronic Technologies founding team includes Dino Mavrookas (CEO), Doug Lambert (COO), Rob Lehman (CCO), and Vibhav Altekar (CTO). Several co-founders are respective veterans of the Navy's Seal Team 6 and Marine Corps.
Founded in 2022, Saronic is a defense tech company building Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASVs) or "maritime drones." It was launched with a singular focus — develop cutting-edge ASVs and modernize naval operations.
In particular, the company's fleet of boats are small, cheap, and autonomous. It also has the capabilities to be deployed for a variety of tactical mission use cases.
The U.S. Department of Defense is heavily investing in unmanned surface vessels and swarm tactics that favor speed, flexibility, and rapid production. Saronic sits squarely at the intersection of these strategic needs.
"We've been able to execute at a speed and a scale that hasn't been seen before in the maritime environment," said Dino Mavrookas, CEO and Co-Founder of Saronic Technologies.
Expanding in San Diego
Saronic is the latest defense technology startup to expand into San Diego. Anduril is also in talks to expand locally, according to several sources.
Saronic has more than 300 employees, many who previously worked at Anduril Industries, Liquid Robotics, Shield AI and SpaceX. It is expecting to double its employee base to 600 by the end of 2025.
In February, Saronic closed a $600 million Series C funding round, bringing its valuation to $4 billion — quadrupling its worth in less than a year.
Notable investors involved with Saronic include: Elad Gil, General Catalyst, Andreessen Horowitz, 8VC, and Caffeinated Capital.
The expansion further cements San Diego's growing reputation as a powerhouse in defense technology innovation, creating new high-skilled job opportunities and strengthening the region's economic diversification beyond traditional industries.
You can view Saronic Technologies’ current job openings here.
“San Diego is a cornerstone of the U.S. naval and maritime community, and opening a new Saronic office allows us to deepen our support for the warfighters and mission partners we’re building for every day,” said Dino Mavrookas.
“To our team, customers, partners, and friends in the San Diego area—we’re excited to grow with you,” he added.
Fred Grier is an award-winning business journalist and senior associate of JLL, a global corporate real estate advisory firm.
He's responsible for advising companies on their real estate expansions, specializing in tech and life science in San Diego.
Contact him at: fred.grier@jll.com.