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Top Hardware Startups in 2026

Robotics, aerospace, drones, defense, and hard-tech startups

Last updated

2026-07-17

The Hardware category collects 224 tech startups indexed on techstartupslist.com. Robotics, aerospace, drones, defense, and hard-tech startups. Notable companies in this space include 6thSense, 9 Mothers, Adam, Adialante, and Advanced Metal Research — each profile links to the company's own site, lists open roles when their careers page is scrapable, and surfaces team size, founding year, and category tags. Common themes across these Hardware startups: Hardware, Robotics, Hard Tech, Artificial Intelligence, AI. Filtering by any of these tags in the directory narrows the list further. Geographically, the Hardware index leans toward San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York City, with the rest spread across remote-first teams and other hubs. Many of these companies came in through the Y Combinator scrape (batches F24, F25, F26, S09); and the index refreshes daily so this page stays current as funding rounds close, jobs open, and new entrants ship. For a broader view, see the full directory or jump to Hardware jobs to apply directly — every outbound link goes to the company's own site, not a paywalled middleman.

A nervous system for physical AI

RoboticsBig DataAI

Counter Drone Systems. $1.6m sales. We delivered for the DoW.

Hard TechHardwareGovTech

HardwareDesignAI

Cancer screening without barriers

HardwareMedical DevicesHealth & Wellness

Advanced Metal Research

Machine intelligence for American Welding

HardwareRoboticsManufacturing

Submarine drones for defense

HardwareSwarm AIRobotics

Submarine drones for defense

HardwareSwarm AIRobotics

Building systems to remove carbon dioxide from air at industrial scale

Carbon Capture and RemovalHard TechHardware

Decarbonized heat and power cheaper than fossil fuels

Energy StorageHard TechHardware

Aktoria Robotics

Human as API for robots

RoboticsEnterprise Software

Nanotechnology-enabled coatings for automotive and defence sectors

Advanced MaterialsDefenseAutomotive

Allotrope Medical

Advancing surgical precision through safe electrical stimulation.

HardwareRobotic SurgeryMedical Devices

Transforming manufacturing with our next-gen Vision Foundation Model

Artificial IntelligenceMachine LearningSaaS

A dual-arm robot built for physical AI.

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareRobotics

Portable cryoablation to prevent cervical cancer

HardwareHealth TechMedical Devices

The first wearable that reads your emotions to enhance your EQ.

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareMental Health Tech

Additive Manufacturing with advanced materials

Hardware3D PrintingManufacturing

Arlo Industries

Track drones and missiles without radars - Accurate, Passive, Scalable

Hard TechHardwareDefense

Robotic pitstops for self-driving cars

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareMachine Learning

Real-world human movement data for humanoid robots

We Mine Asteroids

Hard TechRoboticsSpace Exploration

We produce cancer-curing materials used in nuclear medicine.

Hard TechSmall Modular ReactorsMedical Devices

Atomic Industries

Software orchestrated mass production of plastics

Artificial IntelligenceHard TechManufacturing

Gigascale Nanomanufacturing

Hard Tech3D PrintingSemiconductors

Hearing aids that work in noisy places, like restaurants, using ML.

Deep LearningHardwareMedical Devices

Providing clean, safe, virus free air for homes, buildings and cars

AutoPallet Robotics

We make robots that move boxes in warehouses

Hard TechMachine LearningWarehouse Management Tech

Datadog for industrial robots

HardwareRobotic Process AutomationSaaS

The human-in-the-loop system for robots

Hard TechRoboticsInfrastructure

Avion builds and operates autonomous eVTOL drones that deliver vital…

Autonomous DeliveryDrones

Azalea Robotics Corporation

Automating airport baggage handling with robots.

The tolling industry’s prime tech infrastructure

HardwareMachine LearningSaaS

Your phone finally has someone to run it. Plug in Blue, just ask.

HardwareProductivityAI

Robots for the inspection and maintenance of data centers

Artificial IntelligenceHard TechHardware

We use robots to build houses.

Robotic Process AutomationRoboticsConstruction

Life sciences instrument and reagent manufacturing

BiotechManufacturingAI

Bucket Robotics

Defect detection for manufacturing built from CAD and synthetic data.

Robotic Process AutomationRoboticsComputer Vision

Bringing back blimps

RoboticsDronesAdvertising

Your voice. Your health. We care.

HardwareMachine LearningConsumer Health Services

Building the world’s first AI mechanical engineer.

Generative AIHardwareProductivity

Commercial alternative to the Deep Space Network

Hard TechHardwareSaaS

Charge Robotics

Robots that build solar farms

RoboticsSolar PowerConstruction

On-Demand Electronics Manufacturing

Hard TechHardwareRobotics

Online circuit simulator and electronic schematic editor.

Cloud pre-factory logistics and procurement for electronics

HardwareB2BLogistics

Human and AI design review for hardware

HardwareSaaSCollaboration

Large-scale real-world robot & human data for embodied AI

Artificial IntelligenceReinforcement LearningRobotics

Corvus Robotics

Autonomous drones to help warehouses scan inventory.

Warehouse Management TechRoboticsDrones

AWS for precision manufacturing

Commercial Space LaunchRobotics

Robots, parts & RL environments - delivered in 72 hrs or pickup in SF.

Artificial IntelligenceMachine LearningRobotics

The fully autonomous intelligence layer in the sky.

Artificial IntelligenceHard TechDrones

Diode Computers, Inc.

Automate circuit board design using AI

HardwareManufacturingElectronics

Double Robotics

Telepresence robots

HardwareRobotics

Reshoring critical metal production

ManufacturingAdvanced MaterialsClimateTech

Autonomous services for humanity.

Robotic Process AutomationRoboticsAutomation

Efference — Industrials

RoboticsComputer Vision

The sleep fitness company.

HardwareHealth Tech

Hardware-Aware AI for Embedded Software Development

Developer ToolsHardwareB2B

Datadog for robots

Developer ToolsRoboticsB2B

Multicolor lasers for ultrafast data transmission

Hard TechHardware

The GD&T Analysis Platform for Engineering Drawings

HardwareB2BIndustrial

Liquid cooling solutions inspired by nuclear reactor cooling

HardwareClimateEnergy

Home boxing gym with motion trackers that compute punches and reps.

HardwareFitnessGaming

Flirtey (SkyDrop)

Flirtey is the world’s first commercial drone delivery service and…

The first public safety operating system that eliminates crime.

HardwareMachine LearningSaaS

Physical AI for Warehouses and Factories

Artificial IntelligenceAutonomous TruckingHard Tech

Waymo for excavators

Deep LearningHardwareConstruction

Forge Automation

Software Enabled CNC Parts Supplier

Hard TechHardwareRobotics

A robotics intelligence system for metal fabrication

Robotic Process AutomationRoboticsIndustrial

Vanta for hardware

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareRobotics

AI + Robotics for the Built World

Artificial IntelligenceRoboticsEnergy

Makes guilt-free plastics from food waste

BioplasticSynthetic BiologyClimate

General Trajectory

AI for the physical world

AI Physics Engine to replace simulations and prototypes

Artificial IntelligenceHard TechHardware

GreaseBoss verifes industrial machinery is greased correctly

Green Canopy NODE

Green Canopy NODE builds sustainable homes fast.

HardwareHousingProptech

Greypoint Industries

Manufacturing the future of autonomous swarm warfare.

HardwareRoboticsDrones

Protecting the grid today, preparing the grid for tomorrow

HardwareClimateEnergy

Drone detection for US defense and national security

hardware intelligence

Agentic chip design with ultrafast feedback loops

Developer ToolsHardwareEnterprise Software

Building robotic mushroom farms

RoboticsClimateFood Tech

Bluetooth to Space

Developer ToolsHard TechHardware

Multimodal data provider for robotics and world modeling

Stratospheric birds for defense

HardwareAerospace

Industrial Next

Tesla autonomous manufacturing for everyone

Hard TechRoboticsManufacturing

InLoop Robotics

Robotic arms that pick and pack your orders.

Hard TechRoboticsLogistics

Integrated Reasoning

Faster processors for solving NP-complete problems

Artificial IntelligenceDeveloper ToolsHard Tech

Intelligence Factory

Human Intelligence for Robots

Artificial IntelligenceRobotics

Intelline makes the world's most efficient fuel agnostic engines for…

Alternative Battery TechHardwareAlternative Fuels

Inversion Semiconductor

Manufacturing the most powerful chips, 15x faster

HardwareManufacturingSemiconductors

Inversion Space

Turning space into a transportation layer for Earth

Hard TechHardwareTransportation

Plug-and-play AI platform with sensors and dashboards that makes…

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareSaaS

Iris Automation

Enabling autonomous drone operations globally through AI software

DronesComputer VisionAI

Foundational models for risk and quality.

Automatic circuit board design.

Near Space Flying Machines

DronesAerospaceAI

Desktop DNA Printer. The Nespresso Machine for DNA.

Hard TechHardwareMedical Devices

Building flying wind turbines.

HardwareClimateRenewable Energy

The Self-Hosting Company

HardwareCommunityKubernetes

Kyten Technologies

Custom Aerospace-Grade Battery Packs

The social brain for robots.

Hard TechHardwareRobotics

Pelvic floor fitness made easy

HardwareConsumer Health ServicesWomen's Health

Lockitron makes electronic locks you can control locally from your…

Wire Harnesses in as little as 7 days

We build robots for dull, dirty, and dangerous jobs.

RoboticsDronesManufacturing

Hyper-efficient coolers for data centers

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareClimate

Maquoketa Research

The intelligence layer for drones

Hard TechHardwareDrones

Self-Checkout using Computer Vision.

Artificial IntelligenceCashierless CheckoutDeep Learning

Mason is the fastest way to take smart devices from idea to end user

HardwareSaaSLogistics

Industrial Robots that Learn and Operate Like Humans

RoboticsAutomationAI

Building the open source smart glasses operating system.

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareConsumer

Firmware cybersecurity

DevSecOpsHardwareGovTech

Technology to detect and track small drones

Mobius Materials

The spot market for semiconductors

HardwareManufacturingSupply Chain

Mobot is a QA-as-a-service platform using actual mechanical robots

Developer ToolsHardwareB2B

Robotic Automation for cancer diagnostics - Robotic Microscopes &…

HardwareRoboticsHealth Tech

Software tool for designing robots and machines

RoboticsManufacturingAI

AI Agents for Hardware Engineering

HardwareManufacturingAI

Robotic production capacity for the pharma manufacturing industry

Robotic human cell manufacturing

HardwareIoTBiotech

nCompass Technologies

Optimize performance on GPUs - 10x faster

Artificial IntelligenceDeveloper ToolsHardware

Helping physicians select the right therapy for breast cancer patients

Artificial IntelligenceHard TechHardware

Nebia is a breakthrough shower system, based on a premium experience,…

HardwareSustainabilityClimate

We build and operate underwater data centers.

Artificial IntelligenceHard TechHardware

Nextera Robotics

AI-native Robotics

Artificial IntelligenceAutonomous DeliveryDeep Learning

RF test equipment for next-gen spacecraft, drones, and cellphones

Hard TechAerospaceTelecommunications

Sub-1500$ robot anyone can program

Hard TechHardwareRobotics

Testing and certifying the hardware of the future

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareManufacturing

Automating equipment operations for nursing facilities

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareHealth Tech

Wearable computing hardware: biosignal gesture recognition

HardwareBiometrics

Supplying America's Industrial Base

Octopart is a search engine for electronic components

Ohm helps engineering teams accelerate hardware development & testing.

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareData Engineering

World models for robot evals and training.

Orangewood Labs

Orangewood Labs makes worlds most affordable and easiest AI robot arms

Artificial IntelligenceGenerative AIHardware

We're building robot birds for surveillance.

Hard TechRoboticsDrones

Intelligence and Machines for Physical Labor

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareRobotics

AI Electromechanical Process Engineers for Heavy Industries

HardwareManufacturingSemiconductors

Reshaping industrial quality with AI, hardware, and software

Deep LearningIoTComputer Vision

We deploy autonomous drones to 911 calls. Our software gives first…

SaaSDronesGovTech

Palitronica Inc

Detect cyber attacks on critical physical infrastructure

Hard TechHardwareSecurity

Physical businesses that run themselves

Robots that repair roads

Building Mission Critical Software Defined Radio products.

HardwareIoTTelecommunications

Petcube is on the mission to improve lives of pets and pet owners…

AI-Powered Optical Consulting & Software

Hard TechHardwareMachine Learning

Physical Turing

Pre-deployment lab for humanoid robots

Artificial IntelligenceRoboticsB2B

Where your life context becomes understanding.

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareAugmented Reality

Humanoid robots that do your chores for the price of an iPhone!

Smart Home AssistantsRoboticsAI

The Networking Layer of AI

Artificial IntelligenceHard TechHardware

AI for Robot Arms in Factories

Artificial IntelligenceRoboticsIndustrial

Polymath Robotics

General Autonomy for Industrial Vehicles

Hard TechMachine LearningRobotics

Efficient and compact power supply for AI hardware

Hard TechHardwareEnergy

Making humanoids dexterous enough to thread a needle

Artificial IntelligenceRobotics

Protonet provides the easiest way for a small business to run its own…

HardwareCloud Computing

Autonomous manufacturing for mechanical parts

HardwareManufacturingAutomation

Fast-turn, American made PCBs

HardwareManufacturingElectronics

Smart ring digital wallet

Hard TechHardwareConsumer

Rain Neuromorphics

We build artificial intelligence processors inspired by the brain.

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareNeurotechnology

Documenting human dexterity

Keurig machine for smoothies.

HardwareConsumerFood & Beverage

Revise Robotics

Automating refurbishment of $1T in consumer electronics

Robotic Process AutomationClimateTechElectronics

Revolve Surgical

Surgical robotics for every operating room

HardwareMedical RoboticsMedical Devices

Rigetti Computing

Quantum coherent supercomputing.

Quantum Computing

Advanced Contract MFG for fast moving hardware companies

RoboticsManufacturingIndustrial

We measure how well robots can do real-world jobs.

Hard TechHardwareRobotics

Roin Technologies

Building robots to automate commercial concrete construction.

Hard TechHardwareRobotics

Fully autonomous defense solutions for the global edge.

Artificial IntelligenceDronesOpen Source

Salem Robotics Inc

We deploy robots for inspections in hazardous spaces, like nuclear.

Hard TechRoboticsIndustrial

The Enablement Layer for Physical AI

HardwareRoboticsCompliance

Modular AI-Commanded Drones for Defence

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareDrones

Simple Controls for Sonos, Philips Hue and other Smart Home products

Robotic Training Data at Scale

Artificial IntelligenceHard TechMarketplace

Robots that unload containers in warehouses

RoboticsLogisticsAutomation

Shape (ShapeScale)

ShapeScale is a personal 3D scanner and fitness tracker that…

HardwareComputer VisionConsumer Health Services

Makers of simple, affordable medical devices. Our award-winning…

HardwareMedical Devices

Shinkei Systems

Robots for longer-lasting, better-tasting fish at scale.

HardwareRoboticsFood Tech

The Observability Layer for Robotics

Artificial IntelligenceRobotics

The Cursor for Chip Design - Delivering Silicon-Ready Chip Designs…

Hard TechHardwareB2B

Firmware simulation for AI agents

Artificial IntelligenceDeveloper ToolsHardware

Sinovia Technologies

Flexible printed OLED displays.

Hard TechHardwareIoT

Skyscrape makes temperature-responsive insulation

Smart ClothingSustainable Fashion

Creating a new form of air transportation to advance our civilization

Air TaxisRoboticsComputer Vision

AI-assisted electronics design

Developer ToolsHardwareMarketplace

Bathroom cleaning robots for office buildings.

Building a nervous system for the atmosphere

Artificial IntelligenceHard TechHardware

Autonomous patrol-boats for National Security

Powering a better future for textiles.

Hard TechSmart ClothingConsumer

Next-Generation Power Electronics

HardwareElectric VehiclesElectronics

robots & software for farms

Food Service Robots & MachinesSaaSRobotics

Autonomous robots for retails.

RoboticsRetail Tech

A robot that makes tea!

Food Service Robots & MachinesHardwareRobotics

Tekton Dynamics

AI control layer for welding robots

Artificial IntelligenceRoboticsManufacturing

Supervised Autonomous Heavy Equipment

Autonomous TruckingHard TechRobotics

Tenet Industries

Low-cost, mass-producible defense systems

HardwareManufacturingDefense

Fully autonomous robotic factories

Deep LearningHardwareRobotics

The Robot Learning Company

The infrastructure that robot intelligence is built and deployed on.

Machine LearningRobotics

ThereCraft — Industrials

GPS Denied Navigation for Drones

RoboticsDronesDefense

Bringing the joy of cycling to millions of Indians

HardwareConsumerFitness

We build micro-drones that kill mosquitoes.

HardwareRoboticsDrones

Humanoid robot platform for builders.

Artificial IntelligenceRobotics

Empowering anyone to build cellular network

Hard TechHardwareSaaS

Practical, general-purpose robots for repetitive industrial tasks

RoboticsLogisticsAI

Live between worlds, in UNISON, using the headset we're building!

HardwareVirtual RealityConsumer

The future of hardware design. A marketplace for hardware engineering…

HardwareMarketplace

Hypersonic space plane that can take-off from any location and weather

Commercial Space LaunchHardwareDrones

Vena Medical is providing physicians with the world's smallest camera…

HardwareMedical Devices

Custom Parts, Manufactured in America 🇺🇸

HardwareManufacturingSupply Chain

AI models that teach robots new skills in hours

Industrial data layer for robotics training

RoboticsManufacturingData Engineering

Autonomous VTOL delivery solutions.

Autonomous DeliveryDrones

Volta Labs, Inc.

Unlocking the utility of genomics for the world.

Hard TechHardwareRobotics

Autonomous Drones for Earth Observation

The Fastest Scientific Computing Platform on the Planet

Cloud Computing

Energy independent data centers with solar and repurposed batteries.

Artificial IntelligenceHardwareSolar Power

Voyage Biomedical

Using cooling to end brain damage during stroke.

HardwareNeurotechnologyMedical Devices

Personal robots for the home--that ship in 2025

Wifi Dabba, Inc.

Decentralised broadband connectivity.

HardwareCrypto / Web3Telecommunications

Robots to Automate Fulfillment

Hard TechRoboticsLogistics

We build robotic workforces for the food & beverage industry.

Artificial IntelligenceHard TechHardware

Inspection software for renewable energy & sustainable infrastructure

Artificial IntelligenceDronesB2B

We make high definition radar allowing self-driving cars to see in…

HardwareRadarAutomotive

AI-powered robotics for scientific lab automation.

Artificial IntelligenceRobotic Process AutomationRobotics

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Frequently asked questions

What are the top Hardware startups in 2026?

Based on our index, 6thSense, 9 Mothers and Adam are among the leading Hardware startups tracked on techstartupslist.com. The full list ranks 224 companies in this category.

How many Hardware startups are in the techstartupslist.com directory?

We currently index 224 Hardware startups. New entries are added automatically as they are discovered from Y Combinator, Greenhouse, Ashby, and other sources.

How often is the Hardware category updated?

The Hardware listing is refreshed daily by an automated scraper that pulls from Y Combinator and other public sources. The last index update for this page was 2026-07-17.

Where can I find jobs at Hardware startups?

Open roles at indexed Hardware startups are aggregated on our jobs page at https://www.techstartupslist.com/jobs. Each role links directly to the company's official application page — we don't act as a middleman.

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