Hardware testing startup Nominal raises $80M at $1B valuation

Nominal's software aims to significantly speed up hardware tests for complex physical systems like cars and satellites.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Engineering software startup Nominal Inc. has closed an $80 million Series B-2 funding round at a $1 billion valuation. The round was led by Founders Fund and included participation from Sequoia Capital, Lux Capital, General Catalyst, Lightspeed, and Red Glass. Nominal's software platforms, Nominal Core and Nominal Connect, automate and streamline the hardware testing process for complex physical systems like cars, aircraft, satellites, and autonomous vehicles.

Why it matters

Hardware testing is a critical but time-consuming part of the product development cycle for complex physical systems. Nominal's software aims to significantly reduce the time and effort required for this testing, which could help companies bring new products to market faster.

The details

Nominal's Nominal Core application automates the process of organizing and cleaning up test data, which is often a major bottleneck. Nominal Connect allows engineers to create custom visualizations and control physical systems during testing. The company says its revenue grew 7x in the year leading up to this funding round, and its customer base includes thousands of engineers across over 60 organizations.

  • Nominal closed the $80 million Series B-2 funding round on March 5, 2026.
  • The company's previous funding round was less than a year ago.

The players

Nominal Inc.

An engineering software startup that provides applications to automate and streamline hardware testing for complex physical systems.

Founders Fund

The venture capital firm that led Nominal's $80 million Series B-2 funding round.

Sequoia Capital

The venture capital firm that participated in Nominal's Series B-2 funding round.

Alfred Lin

A partner at Sequoia Capital who commented on Nominal's software.

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What they’re saying

“Engineers building complex systems shouldn't have to work around their tools. Nominal removes that friction to give teams both speed and reliability.”

— Alfred Lin, Partner, Sequoia Capital (SiliconANGLE)

What’s next

Nominal plans to use the $80 million in new funding to expand its international presence, which currently includes an office in London, and to make acquisitions.

The takeaway

Nominal's software platforms aim to significantly streamline the hardware testing process for complex physical systems, which could help companies bring new products to market faster. The company's rapid revenue growth and $1 billion valuation highlight the demand for tools that can improve the efficiency of product development cycles.