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Maritime manufacturing startup to invest $10.5M in Portsmouth
Manufacturing operation expected to create 53 jobs
Beth JoJack //February 25, 2026//
A 3D-printed mold for a hydropower impeller is printed using a wire arc additive manufacturing system. Photo by Carlos Jones, courtesy U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
A 3D-printed mold for a hydropower impeller is printed using a wire arc additive manufacturing system. Photo by Carlos Jones, courtesy U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Maritime manufacturing startup to invest $10.5M in Portsmouth
Manufacturing operation expected to create 53 jobs
Beth JoJack //February 25, 2026//
Radian Forge, a startup specializing in the production of large-scale, precision-grade maritime parts primarily for the U.S. Navy, plans to invest $10.5 million to grow its manufacturing operations in Portsmouth, Gov. Abigail Spanberger announced Wednesday.
The project is expected to create 53 jobs.
“The region’s shipbuilding heritage, technical workforce and direct access to the fleet make it the right place to scale advanced manufacturing capabilities that matter to national defense,” Radian Forge CEO Jeff Yeager said in a statement. “This investment strengthens the maritime industrial base, reduces supply chain vulnerabilities, accelerates delivery of mission-critical components and reinforces a community with deep roots in supporting the defense workforce.”
Radian Forge, which launched in January, has five full-time employees, according to Chief Administrative Officer Kait Ewoldt. Currently based at the Fairlead Integrated building at 176 Lincoln St., the company expects to ramp up hiring at the end of the second quarter.
For its manufacturing process, Radian Forge uses wire arc additive manufacturing, or WAAM, which uses an electric arc as a heat source and standard welding wire as the material. With the aid of software, the arc melts the wire and deposits metal layer by layer. The process can rapidly produce large, complex metal components with properties comparable to forgings, a process developed thousands of years ago in which metal is shaped using heat and force, and superior to castings, a process in which metal liquefied by intense heat flows into a mold and solidifies.
“Radian Forge’s decision to expand in Hampton Roads highlights the region’s competitiveness, deep industry expertise and long‑standing role in supporting our national security,” Spanberger said in a statement. “Virginia’s workforce is prepared to meet the needs of our defense industry. Radian Forge’s expansion in Portsmouth will create good‑paying jobs in a community that is so integral to the strength of our Navy.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the City of Portsmouth, the Hampton Roads Alliance and the Port of Virginia to secure the project for the commonwealth. Spanberger approved a $265,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Portsmouth with the company’s growth.
Radian Forge will also receive funding and services to support employee training through VEDP’s Virginia Jobs Investment Program. Additionally, the company is eligible to receive benefits from the Port of Virginia Economic and Infrastructure Development Zone Grant Program.
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