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UNION: The Modern Energetics Prime
An enterprise platform that leverages elite operational discipline to revitalize stagnant, multi-trillion-dollar industries and build comprehensive commercial ecosystems in complex global environments.
This week’s Startup feature is UNION. UNION is revitalising the nearly $6 trillion energetics sector by applying elite operational discipline to build sophisticated, full-scale commercial ecosystems rather than just single products
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Company & Team Introduction
UNION, a modern enterprise established in 2024, aims to revitalize the global energetics sector. This foundational industry has been plagued by decades of technological stagnation. With its headquarters in Dallas, Texas, UNION is designed to bring innovation and sophistication to markets currently dominated by entrenched legacy players. The company's leadership team represents a formidable blend of elite military strategy and proven business execution, positioning UNION to systematically dismantle inefficiencies and build robust, modern ecosystems in challenging and complex environments.
Joe Musselman: Co-founder and Chairman, he brings a background from the US Navy's elite Naval Special Warfare unit, contributing strategic military insights to UNION's operations.
Will Somerindyke: Co-founder and CEO, he offers extensive corporate leadership experience, providing the business acumen necessary for successful execution and growth within the company.
Bold Vision: Aims to displace outdated technologies and capture a significant share of a market hampered by a lack of innovation.
Product Overview
UNION’s strategy is to move beyond the role of a munitions middleman to become a premier, next-generation manufacturer. The company is building millions of square feet of new facilities, starting with its first artillery shell factory in Texas, set to open in July 2025. These factories will not be modernizations of old plants; they are purpose-built to integrate cutting-edge autonomous systems and precision machining from the ground up. By leveraging Silicon Valley software talent and an AI-powered platform, UNION aims to achieve a level of speed, efficiency, and quality that legacy manufacturing cannot match. This technology-first approach is the core of their plan to massively scale production of a wide range of defence products.
From Middleman to Manufacturer: CEO Will Somerindyke is leveraging his experience as a top arms dealer to build the advanced manufacturing capabilities the market desperately needs.
Autonomous Factories: UNION is implementing autonomous robotics and precision machining in its new facilities to create a new paradigm for ammunition production.
AI-Powered Platform: The company is developing an AI-powered platform to scale its capabilities, a key factor in attracting its initial seed funding.
Inaugural Texas Facility: UNION's first factory, dedicated to producing artillery shells, is scheduled to open in Texas in July 2025.
Market Opportunity
UNION is tackling a severe and globally recognised vulnerability: the West is running at a dangerous deficit of essential military stockpiles. Ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have exposed the fragility of an aging defense industrial base, creating a market opportunity born from urgent necessity. The U.S. Army alone has invested billions to increase production of artillery shells but remains months behind its goals. UNION’s vision, as articulated by its leadership, is to spearhead the "reindustrialization" of America, building a modern manufacturing capability necessary to counter the superiority of adversaries like China. The company aims not just to fill a supply gap but to create a new, technologically superior standard for defence manufacturing.
Addressing a National Security Crisis: The West is facing a critical shortage of munitions and anything "that goes boom," creating a leverage point for adversaries.
Modernising a Stagnant Industry: While the U.S. Army is investing heavily in new facilities, it relies on older manufacturing methods, creating an opening for UNION's high-tech approach.
A "Critical National Infrastructure" Play: Investors see UNION as essential to national security, justifying significant capital commitments to ensure its success.
Riding a Geopolitical Wave: The company's thesis is proven daily by ongoing global turbulence and the clear, publicly acknowledged need for more robust defence production.
Business Model & Traction
Since its incorporation, UNION has moved with incredible speed to translate its vision into reality. The company’s primary focus has been the development of its first artillery shell factory in Texas, which is set to become operational in July 2025. Based on the capabilities of this new facility, UNION projects it will produce more than 300,000 shells next year alone. The company’s ambitions scale dramatically from there. According to a pitch deck shared with investors, UNION has set a target of producing nine million shells per year by 2030, which it projects will generate $3.5 billion in annual revenue.
Factory Launch Imminent: Set to open its first advanced manufacturing facility in Texas in July 2025.
Aggressive Near-Term Production: Aims to produce over 300,000 artillery shells in its first full year of operation (2026).
Multi-Billion Dollar Revenue Goal: By 2030, UNION plans to scale production to nine million shells annually.
Clear Path to $3.5 Billion: The company has told investors that its 2030 production goals are expected to generate $3.5 billion in revenue.
Competitors
While other startups like Hadrian and Re:Build are also working to modernise American manufacturing, UNION possesses a unique and defensible moat built on deep insider expertise and strategic integration. The company’s primary advantage is CEO Will Somerindyke, whose decade of experience running a major international arms dealership provides an unparalleled understanding of the market’s needs and a network of top military buyers. This is amplified by the company’s relationship with its lead investor, BVVC, and Chairman Joe Musselman, creating a powerful incubator effect. Finally, having Somerindyke's other company, Regulus Global, as its first and largest customer (in a deal potentially worth $225 million) creates a self-reinforcing flywheel that de-risks initial production and provides a clear path to scale that competitors cannot easily replicate.
Unrivalled Domain Expertise: The company is led by a CEO who has spent years successfully selling weapons of war around the world.
Integrated Customer Flywheel: UNION’s first contract is with Regulus Global, a company where its CEO is chairman and majority owner, ensuring a committed launch customer.
Venture Incubation Model: The deep involvement of Chairman Joe Musselman and his fund, BVVC, provides strategic guidance and robust financial backing.
Execution Over Theory: While competitors focus on different aspects of manufacturing, UNION’s leadership team is composed of "people that are already working on a problem set," giving them a distinct operational advantage.
Funding
UNION has demonstrated formidable financial momentum, securing a massive $50 million seed funding round in April 2025. The round was led by Bravo Victor Venture Capital and included other key investors such as Silent Ventures, IronGate, and the Poland-based single-family office RKKVC. Immediately validating its model, UNION has already secured its first major contract with Regulus Global, which, if fulfilled, could generate up to $225 million in revenue. With this strong initial backing and commercial traction, the company is already in talks to raise a Series A funding round with "hundreds of millions" of dollars reportedly committed.
$50 Million Seed Round: Closed a significant seed round in April 2025, providing a strong capital base for its ambitious plans.
Blue-Chip Investor Syndicate: Led by defense-focused BVVC, with participation from Silent Ventures, IronGate, and RKKVC.
Immediate Commercial Traction: Secured an inaugural contract for artillery shells worth up to $225 million with Regulus Global, where CEO Will Somerindyke remains chairman.
Massive Series A on the Horizon: The company is already in discussions for a Series A round with commitments reported to be in the hundreds of millions.
Sources: crunchbase.com, pitchbook.com, linkedin.com, forbes, techstartups.
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