Massachusetts-based manufacturing accelerator Re:Build has secured a massive $2.1 billion funding round. The fresh capital arrives as investors increasingly pour resources into strengthening domestic supply chains and reducing reliance on foreign manufacturing hubs like China.
The investment was co-led by General Catalyst and JPMorganChase’s Strategic Investment Group, with other participants remaining undisclosed. Re:Build stated that the funding will enable the company to scale up its capacity for producing hard tech products and to launch new industrial startups.
Scaling Domestic Manufacturing and Hard Tech
“We started Re:Build because the deindustrialization of America is an economic failure and national security risk,” Wilke said in a statement. He noted that the new capital will accelerate the company's mission to build a platform for American industrial leadership.
Hemant Taneja, CEO of General Catalyst, emphasized the strategic importance of the investment. Rebuilding domestic industrial capacity is a critical economic and national security imperative, Taneja noted, adding that competing globally and revitalizing local communities requires platform companies capable of operating at genuine scale.
Amazon Roots and Ecosystem Growth
Re:Build maintains strong ties to Amazon through its leadership team. Alongside Wilke, the company's chief digital and product officer is Wei Gao, a longtime Amazon vice president and technical adviser to Jeff Bezos. Several other executives at the accelerator also share backgrounds with the e-commerce giant.
Over its six-year history, Re:Build claims to have launched hundreds of products and production systems. Its broader network currently employs more than 2,100 people across the United States and encompasses over 2.4 million square feet of manufacturing capacity.
The Slate Auto Connection
One notable offshoot of the Re:Build ecosystem is EV startup Slate Auto. Conceived by Wilke and Arnone in 2022, Slate Auto was spun out to help the electric vehicle venture attract independent funding.
Since the spin-out, Slate Auto has raised at least $1.4 billion—including backing from Bezos’ family office—as it works to develop an ultra low-cost, customizable pickup truck.
