Exclusive: Orbital Industries, startup using AI to discover exotic new materials, raises $50 million Series B funding round - Fortune

2026-05-28 · Source: Series A" OR "Series B" OR "Series C" AI startup via Google News · Field: Science & Research — Engineering & Applied Sciences, Physical Sciences & Chemistry · Depth: Intermediate, medium

Summary

Orbital Industries, an AI-driven materials design startup, secured \$50 million in Series B funding led by Plural, with Nventures and other prior investors participating. The company, recently rebranded from Orbital Materials, plans to scale commercial deployment of its first two data center products and expand its 50-person team. Unlike competitors, Orbital pursues a vertically integrated model, directly selling AI-discovered and optimized materials rather than licensing IP. Its core AI model, Orb, simulates 100,000 atoms on a single GPU 10 times faster than alternatives, with a public version available via AWS. Orbital's products include an AI-designed, PFAS-free liquid coolant for GPUs, expected to ship by 2027, and modular data center systems for rapid deployment.

Key takeaway

For Directors of AI/ML or entrepreneurs evaluating advanced materials innovation, Orbital Industries' vertically integrated model demonstrates a faster path to market for AI-designed products. You should consider how direct material sales and in-house manufacturing optimization, rather than just IP licensing, can accelerate commercialization and create stronger competitive moats. This approach, exemplified by their PFAS-free liquid coolant and modular data centers, suggests a blueprint for AI-native industrial conglomerates.

Key insights

Vertically integrated AI material design accelerates product commercialization, bypassing traditional IP licensing for direct sales.

Principles

• AI can drastically cut material R&D timelines.
• Vertical integration enables direct market entry.
• AI-driven simulation outperforms traditional methods.

Method

Orbital's Orb AI model predicts and simulates quantum mechanical behavior of atoms, screening candidates for new materials and optimizing manufacturing processes, including hardware development.

In practice

• Develop PFAS-free liquid coolants for GPUs.
• Design modular data center systems for rapid deployment.
• Simulate 100,000 atoms on a single GPU.

Topics

• AI-driven Materials Discovery
• Vertical Integration
• Data Center Cooling
• Orb AI Model
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Venture Capital Funding

Best for: Investor, Director of AI/ML, Entrepreneur

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Series A" OR "Series B" OR "Series C" AI startup via Google News.