Anduril acquires Massachusetts underwater acoustics firm Popoto Modem; terms undisclosed
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What happened
Anduril announced on October 2, 2026 that it had acquired Popoto Modem, an underwater acoustics company based in Massachusetts. Anduril's announcement says the two companies had worked together for over a year, with Anduril integrating Popoto's affordable acoustic modems into a variety of products across its maritime systems. The Orange County Business Journal reported the deal on October 5 and said financial terms were not disclosed.
Anduril states that Popoto's technology enables persistent, multi-node mesh networking underwater, letting autonomous vehicles communicate with each other, with surface vessels and with the wider fleet. The immediate priority is scaling integrations into the Copperhead family of affordable autonomous underwater vehicles, so that a single operator can oversee large formations of them. Anduril also says the acquisition extends the integration its Lattice software provides above the waterline to subsea systems. Neither source states the price, payment form, closing date or Popoto's headcount.
Key points
- Anduril announced the acquisition of Popoto Modem, a Massachusetts underwater acoustics company, on October 2, 2026.12
- The companies had worked together for over a year, and Anduril already used Popoto's modems in several maritime products.12
- First priority is scaling integrations into the Copperhead family of autonomous underwater vehicles.12
- Financial terms were not disclosed.2
Why it matters
Popoto's modems were already integrated into Anduril products for over a year. The purchase moves a component supplier inside the company.
Anduril ties the deal to scaling its Copperhead underwater vehicles, one operator commanding large formations. That links the acquisition to a specific product line.
No price or terms were disclosed, so the size of the deal relative to Anduril's valuation cannot be judged from the sources.
In context
| Round | Date | Post-money valuation | Raised | Led by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Series B | Sep 11, 2019 | $1.0B | $127M | Unknown |
| Series C | Jul 1, 2020 | $1.9B | $200M | Andreessen Horowitz |
| Series D | Jun 17, 2021 | $4.6B | $450M | Elad Gil |
| Series E | Dec 2, 2022 | $8.5B | $1.5B | Valor Equity Partners |
| Series F | Aug 8, 2024 | $14B | $1.5B | Founders Fund and Sands Capital |
| Series G | Jun 5, 2025 | $31B | $2.5B | Founders Fund |
| Series H | May 13, 2026 | $61B | $5.0B | Andreessen Horowitz and Thrive Capital |
Updated
Fact-check
- Anduril announced the acquisition on October 2, 2026.Confirmed by [1] Anduril, which is dated 10/02/2026; [2] Orange County Business Journal says Anduril announced it on Oct. 2.Verified
- Popoto Modem is an underwater acoustics company based in Massachusetts.Confirmed by [1] Anduril and [2] Orange County Business Journal.Verified
- Anduril had worked with Popoto Modem for over a year before the deal.Confirmed by [1] Anduril: it integrated Popoto's acoustic modems into a variety of its maritime products; [2] states the same.Verified
- The immediate priority is scaling integrations into the Copperhead family of autonomous underwater vehicles.Confirmed by [1] Anduril; [2] Orange County Business Journal also ties the deal to the Copperhead family.Verified
- Financial terms were not disclosed.Confirmed by [2] Orange County Business Journal; [1] Anduril gives no price or terms.Verified
- The Orange County Business Journal reported the deal on October 5, 2026.Confirmed by [2] Orange County Business Journal: the article is dated October 5, 2026.Verified
Sources
- [1]Anduril (opens in a new tab)Anduril Acquires Popoto ModemAnduril has worked with Popoto Modem for over a year
- [2]Orange County Business Journal (opens in a new tab)Anduril Acquires Underwater Communications FirmFinancial terms were not disclosed.
