Layup Parts Raises $42 Million to Modernize Composite Manufacturing Supply Chains

Updated on June 03, 2026 • 6 min read

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — Composite manufacturing startup Layup Parts has secured $42 million in Series A funding as it seeks to modernize one of the most labor-HUNTINGTON BEACH, California — Composite manufacturing startup Layup Parts has secured $42 million in Series A funding, positioning itself to transform how aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial companies source carbon fiber and advanced composite components.

The funding round, led by Founders Fund, reflects growing investor confidence in digital manufacturing platforms that can eliminate inefficiencies in highly fragmented industrial supply chains.

Founded by former Anduril Industries engineer Zack Eakin, Layup Parts is building what many in the industry are calling an “Amazon for composites” — a digital marketplace designed to simplify the procurement of carbon fiber, fiberglass, and other advanced composite parts.

Solving a Long-Standing Composite Industry Problem

Despite the rapid growth of advanced composites across aerospace, defense, automotive, drones, satellites, and sporting goods, the procurement process for custom composite components remains largely manual.

Today, engineers typically:

• Send CAD files to multiple suppliers
• Wait days or weeks for quotations
• Compare pricing manually
• Negotiate lead times individually
• Manage quality assurance separately

This traditional workflow can significantly slow product development cycles, especially for companies operating in fast-moving sectors.

Layup Parts aims to replace this process with an online platform where customers can upload design files, receive manufacturing options, compare suppliers, and place orders through a single interface.

The company believes this approach can reduce sourcing times from weeks to days while improving transparency and supplier access.

Founder Brings Experience from Motorsports, Tesla, SpaceX and Anduril

Founder and CEO Zack Eakin brings nearly two decades of experience working with advanced composites.

His career began in professional motorsports, where carbon fiber structures are essential for maximizing vehicle performance while minimizing weight.

Eakin later worked at:

• Chip Ganassi Racing
• Tesla
• SpaceX
• The Boring Company
• Anduril Industries

His experience at Anduril exposed him to a recurring challenge faced by many defense manufacturers: obtaining high-quality composite components quickly enough to support rapid product development.

According to Eakin, other manufacturing sectors have already undergone digital transformation, while composite manufacturing has remained largely dependent on traditional procurement models.

That realization became the foundation for Layup Parts.

Composite Manufacturing Faces Growing Demand

The timing of the investment aligns with accelerating demand for lightweight materials across multiple industries.

Composite materials are increasingly used in:

Aerospace

Commercial and military aircraft rely heavily on carbon fiber structures to reduce fuel consumption and increase payload capacity.

Defense

Modern defense programs require lightweight materials for:

• Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)
• Missile systems
• Satellite structures
• Hypersonic platforms

Automotive

Electric vehicle manufacturers continue seeking lighter components to improve battery range and vehicle efficiency.

Industrial Equipment

Manufacturers are adopting composites to reduce corrosion, improve durability, and lower lifecycle costs.

As demand rises, many traditional composite suppliers struggle to provide the speed and flexibility expected by modern engineering teams.

Building a Digital Marketplace for Composites

Layup Parts is creating a platform that connects customers directly with qualified composite manufacturers.

Supported manufacturing methods include:

• Hand layup
• Resin transfer molding (RTM)
• Vacuum infusion
• Compression molding
• Automated Fiber Placement (AFP)
• Automated Tape Laying (ATL)

The platform supports multiple material types, including:

• Carbon fiber composites
• Fiberglass composites
• Aramid composites
• Hybrid composite structures

The objective is to create a scalable procurement ecosystem similar to what companies such as Xometry achieved for metal machining and sheet metal fabrication.

Why Investors Are Paying Attention

The participation of Founders Fund is particularly notable.

The venture capital firm has backed several major defense and manufacturing companies, including:

• Anduril Industries
• SpaceX
• Relativity Space

The investment suggests confidence that advanced manufacturing infrastructure will become increasingly important as Western governments expand aerospace and defense production capacity.

Additional participation from investors with strong defense and national security backgrounds further reinforces the strategic importance of composite manufacturing capabilities.

Beyond a Marketplace: Building Manufacturing Infrastructure

While Layup Parts is currently focused on simplifying procurement, the company’s long-term vision extends beyond a traditional marketplace.

The startup plans to invest heavily in:

• Supplier qualification
• Quality assurance systems
• Manufacturing automation
• Production analytics
• Digital workflow integration

These capabilities are critical because composite components often serve in highly regulated applications where performance failures are unacceptable.

Unlike consumer e-commerce, success in composite manufacturing requires rigorous verification and traceability standards.

What This Means for the Composite Industry

The composite sector has experienced significant consolidation over the past decade.

Large material suppliers dominate raw material production, while thousands of smaller fabricators handle part manufacturing.

This fragmentation creates inefficiencies that digital platforms are well-positioned to address.

If Layup Parts succeeds, the impact could include:

• Faster product development cycles
• Greater supplier visibility
• Lower procurement costs
• Improved manufacturing utilization
• Expanded access for smaller engineering teams

For aerospace and defense companies under pressure to accelerate production, these improvements could become increasingly valuable.

🔒 Content Transparency & Editorial Integrity

This article is developed based on real engineering experience, machine testing data, and practical production knowledge from Jota Machinery’s work in advanced composite manufacturing.

All technical explanations—including material structure, processing methods, and performance characteristics—are reviewed and verified by our engineering team to ensure accuracy and real-world relevance.

To improve clarity and structure, AI-assisted tools may have been used during content organization and language refinement. However:

• All key technical insights originate from first-hand industrial experience
• All data and claims are manually reviewed and validated
• The content is created with the primary goal of educating engineers, manufacturers, and buyers

We do not publish content solely for search ranking purposes. Every article is designed to provide practical, experience-based value to professionals in the composite materials industry.

Industry Outlook

The $42 million Series A funding round represents more than just another startup investment.

It signals growing recognition that advanced materials manufacturing requires the same digital transformation already seen in software, electronics, machining, and logistics.

As carbon fiber and advanced composites become increasingly important to aerospace, defense, mobility, and energy sectors, platforms capable of simplifying sourcing and production could emerge as critical infrastructure for the next generation of hardware companies.

Layup Parts is betting that the future of composite manufacturing will be faster, more transparent, and increasingly software-driven. With fresh capital, experienced leadership, and strong investor backing, the company is positioning itself at the center of that transition.