Merlin Labs
Autonomous flight software for takeoff-to-touchdown operation of fixed-wing aircraft.
Merlin Labs builds the Merlin Pilot, an AI-powered, aircraft-agnostic autonomy system that enables takeoff-to-touchdown autonomous flight for both legacy and next-generation aircraft. The company has a $105M contract with USSOCOM to integrate the Merlin Pilot on the C-130J, and has partnerships with the US Air Force, US Navy, and commercial operators. Merlin is going public via a SPAC merger at an $800M valuation.
Overview
- Headquarters
- Boston, MA
- Founded
- 2018
- Employees
- 170
- Total funding
- $134M
- Valuation
- $800M (SPAC merger)
- Stage
- Going public via SPAC
- Status
- active
- Domains
- Autonomous aviation, AI pilot, Defense aviation
- X / Twitter
- x.com/MerlinAero
- Website
- merlinlabs.com
Investors4
- FundGVAlphabet's venture capital arm, investing across enterprise, hard tech, and defense-adjacent robotics/autonomy.
- FundSnowpoint VenturesVenture capital firm; participated in Elroy Air's January 2025 funding round.
- FundBaillie GiffordEdinburgh-based asset manager; co-led Merlin Labs' $105M Series B via its late-stage private-companies practice.
- FundFirst Round CapitalPhiladelphia-founded, San Francisco/New York seed-stage VC; led Merlin Labs' 2021 seed round.
Cap table7
Approximate ownership by holder. Indexed holders link to their records.
Raised per round
Percentages marked ~ are not disclosed. Some are a generic VC-pattern model (founders/team weighted heaviest, option pool lightest, other holders evenly) sized to whatever's left undisclosed — a standard industry shape, not this company's actual cap table.
| Holder | Instrument | Ownership |
|---|---|---|
Founders & team | Common | ~30.0% |
GV (Google Ventures)Reinvested | Preferred (Series B) | ~20.0% |
Snowpoint VenturesNew | Preferred (Series B) | ~20.0% |
Baillie GiffordNew[1] | Preferred (Series B) | ~20.0% |
Employee option pool | Options | ~10.0% |
Programs0
No linked records yet.
Frequently asked
- What does Merlin Labs do?
- Merlin Labs builds the Merlin Pilot, an AI-powered, aircraft-agnostic autonomy system that enables takeoff-to-touchdown autonomous flight for both legacy and next-generation aircraft. The company has a $105M contract with USSOCOM to integrate the Merlin Pilot on the C-130J, and has partnerships with the US Air Force, US Navy, and commercial operators. Merlin is going public via a SPAC merger at an $800M valuation.
- Where is Merlin Labs headquartered?
- Merlin Labs is headquartered in Boston, MA and was founded in 2018.
- How much funding has Merlin Labs raised?
- Merlin Labs has raised $134M in disclosed funding, at a most recent valuation of $800M (SPAC merger).
- What does Merlin Labs specialize in?
- Merlin Labs works across Autonomous aviation, AI pilot, Defense aviation.
- Does Merlin Labs hold government contracts?
- Defense Tech Atlas links Merlin Labs to 1 government contract.
Sources & citations3
3 sources behind every claim
Every data point on this record is backed by a cited public source. Request Pro access to see them and verify each claim yourself.