HEARD AROUND VIRGINIA: January 2026

Antithesis, a rapidly growing Vienna company, announced in December 2025 that it raised $100 million in a Series A round led by global investment firm Jane Street, one of its largest customers, bringing total funding to $177 million. Founded by former Apple engineers Will Wilson and Dave Scherer in 2018, the company will use the investment to accelerate product development, hire engineers and scale operations. The company’s autonomous software testing platform searches for bugs across open-source and in-house software. It also provides developers with ways to remedy the bugs before users find them. Antithesis emerged from stealth in early 2024. (Washington Business Journal)

Manassas-based aviation company Electra.aero announced in December 2025 that it launched a new defense business unit to capitalize on growing military demand for aircraft that can fly long distances without a runway. Electra Defense will focus on developing the EL9 model for the U.S. military. Electra Defense’s launch follows several successful government-directed tests of the EL9 with the U.S. Air Force in September 2025. Founded in 2020, Electra plans to begin flight testing of the EL9 in 2027, fly for FAA certification credit in 2028 and 2029 and get the airplane certified and into service in late 2029, into 2030. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

Reston-based cybersecurity and digital transformation firm Electrosoft Services announced in December 2025 that it received backing from Bethesda, Maryland-based DigitalNet.ai, which provides artificial intelligence services for commercial and government clients. The partnership will give Electrosoft additional resources to expand capabilities and scale operations, allowing the company to tap into DigitalNet.ai’s expertise and strengths to expand its AI, digital and data analytics capabilities. Electrosoft was founded in 2001 and recorded $55.1 million in revenue in 2024. Founded in 2021, DigitalNet.ai now operates nine offices across the United States, Asia, Canada and Europe. (News release)

Heven AeroTech, a Sterling-based developer of hydrogen-powered unmanned aerial systems, has raised $100 million in a Series B funding round that elevates it to unicorn status. The company announced the investment, which brings the company’s valuation to $1 billion, in December 2025. Maryland-based quantum computing company IonQ led the funding round, alongside returning investors like Texas Venture Partners. Heven, founded in 2019, said the Series B investment will specifically go toward expanding U.S. manufacturing capacity and developing hydrogen generation and logistics infrastructure. It will also fund the development of quantum-secure communications, navigation systems for GPS-denied environments and AI-powered autonomous operations. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

Reston-based financial tech startup Quantum Lending Solutions announced in November 2025 that it closed a $400 million financing round. The transaction included a warehouse line with an initial $250 million commitment, corporate debt and equity. A “global asset-based private credit firm” led the round, with debt participation from New York-based investment firm Atlas SP Partners and equity participation from Pennsylvania-based investment adviser LL Funds. Quantum’s artificial intelligence-based platform helps banks, marketplaces and tech platforms improve credit decisions. The company, founded in 2023, will use the financing secured in the recent round to continue scaling the lending infrastructure platform. (VirginiaBusiness.com)

Leesburg-based Trusted Space, which offers modeling, simulation and analysis services focused on space systems and missions, announced in December 2025 that it received a new growth investment from Washington Harbour Partners, a Washington, D.C.-based private investment firm. The deal’s financial terms were not disclosed, but Trusted Space said it will use the funds to bolster research and development efforts and substantially enhance its product offerings. In a statement, Trusted Space co-founder and Chief Revenue Officer Tom Kubancik said the partnership will enable the company, founded in 2019, to develop better technology for autonomous and self-aware spacecraft platforms. (Potomac Tech Wire)