
Bright Machines is a manufacturing startup that integrates robotics and AI-driven software to create a full-stack automation solution, enhancing manufacturing processes with software-defined robotics and advanced data analysis. Their innovative approach allows for faster new product introductions, increased throughput, and complete process genealogy, positioning them as a leader in the $300 billion factory automation market. With significant traction, including a 28x faster NPI process and 100% process genealogy for circular manufacturing, Bright Machines is transforming the manufacturing landscape and driving efficiency and sustainability.

Bright Machines is a manufacturing startup that integrates robotics and AI-driven software to create a full-stack automation solution, enhancing manufacturing processes with software-defined robotics and advanced data analysis. Their innovative approach allows for faster new product introductions, increased throughput, and complete process genealogy, positioning them as a leader in the $300 billion factory automation market. With significant traction, including a 28x faster NPI process and 100% process genealogy for circular manufacturing, Bright Machines is transforming the manufacturing landscape and driving efficiency and sustainability.
What they do: Full‑stack, software‑defined manufacturing automation combining AI-driven software (Brightware) with robotics and modular microfactories.
Company facts: Headquartered in San Francisco; founded in 2018.
Recent funding: Raised a $126M Series C on 2024-06-25 (company reports total funding > $400M; snapshot shows $437M).
Strategic backers: Investors include BlackRock (Series C lead), Eclipse, NVIDIA, Microsoft, Jabil, Shinhan; venture debt from J.P. Morgan and prior debt lenders.
| Company |
|---|
Factory automation and intelligent manufacturing
2018
Software Development
126000000 USD
Company disclosed $126M total: $106M equity led by funds/accounts managed by BlackRock plus $20M in venture debt from J.P. Morgan; participants include NVIDIA, Microsoft, Eclipse, Jabil, and Shinhan.
132000000 USD
$132M financing reported as $100M equity (led by Eclipse) + $32M debt (debt co‑led by Silicon Valley Bank and Hercules Capital).
179000000 USD
Reported earlier Series A amount included in historical totals (reported in third‑party coverage).
“Backed by institutional and strategic investors: lead investors include BlackRock (Series C) and Eclipse (earlier rounds); participation from NVIDIA, Microsoft, Jabil, Shinhan; venture debt provided by J.P. Morgan and previously by SVB/Hercules.”
RETHINK MANUFACTURING The only way to ignite change is to build the best team. At Bright Machines®, we’re innovators and experts in our craft who have joined together to create a new category of manufacturing that will help transform the industry. We believe software and data are the answer, thoughtfully applied to solve our customers’ unique challenges. Through intelligent automation, we give factories newfound flexibility, scalability, and resilience. We deliver products to meet the demands of today while building a platform to take advantage of what comes next. Working with us means you’ll have the opportunity to make lasting, impactful changes for our company and our customers. If you’re ready to apply your exceptional skills to create the factory of the future, we’d love to speak with you. About The Role Bright Machines is on a mission to transform how electronics are made—bringing intelligence, scalability, and flexibility to the factory floor. We combine the best of automation, machine learning, and software to modernize manufacturing from the ground up. We are seeking a highly capable and hands-on Test & Product Development Engineering Manager to lead the development, deployment, and support of advanced test solutions for server-level and rack-level products. This hybrid role combines deep ownership of test engineering, product design collaboration, and NPI technical readiness. You will be responsible for building a world-class engineering function that ensures product quality, performance, and manufacturability at scale. This is a critical leadership position at the intersection of test development, hardware design, and factory support—ideal for a technically strong and strategically minded leader passionate about driving product excellence through engineering innovation. What You Will Be Doing - Lead development and implementation of test solutions for system-level, functional, burn-in, and stress testing of servers and integrated racks. - Architect test platforms to support scalability, traceability, and automation—integrated with MES and data analytics systems. - Manage correlation, validation, and ongoing improvement of test coverage and throughput. - Collaborate with customer design teams to influence architecture decisions for testability, serviceability, and manufacturability (DfT, DfA, DfM). - Participate in design reviews and specification development for new server configurations, components, and subsystems. - Drive technical feedback loops from manufacturing and test data into product design for continuous improvement. - Own test engineering deliverables across NPI phases (EVT/DVT/PVT), including station readiness, validation, and fault coverage metrics. - Interface with cross-functional NPI and program management teams to ensure successful product ramp and stability at launch. - Support first article builds, debug, and rapid issue closure. - Drive the automation of test processes including scripting, in-line diagnostics, auto-calibration, and vision inspection. - Identify opportunities for machine learning or rule-based analytics to improve yield, detect anomalies, and reduce test cycle time. - Build and lead a high-performing engineering team spanning test development, product support, and debug. - Develop engineering best practices, documentation standards, and training programs for test coverage and product validation. - Foster a proactive, data-driven, problem-solving culture What We Want To See - Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical field. - 7+ years of experience in test and product engineering in electronics manufacturing, including 2+ years in a technical management or leadership role. - Proven expertise in system-level server validation, rack integration testing, and test platform automation. - Strong understanding of server architectures, diagnostics (POST, BMC/IPMI), failure modes, and root cause methodologies. - Proficient in test development tools and scripting languages (e.g., Python, LabVIEW, Bash, or similar). - Experience working in cross-functional NPI teams and supporting customer/OEM engineering relationships. - Familiarity with MES systems, data logging, and SPC for production test analytics $170,000 - $220,000 a year BE EMPOWERED TO CHANGE AN INDUSTRY Bright Machines is a next-generation, AI-enabled manufacturer focused on data center infrastructure assembly operations. Bright Machines uses its proprietary AI-based robotics and software to assemble AI infrastructure hardware products (i.e., data center servers) for hyperscalers and leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). With its new AI factory, Bright Machines addresses increasing market demands for computing power due to the surge of AI and the U.S. national mandate to reshore manufacturing by building data center infrastructure at scale with higher quality and shorter time-to-market. Bright Machines is headquartered in San Francisco, California, with an integration center in Guadalajara, Mexico. The company has been recognized as one of Forbes’ AI 50, awarded “Best AI-based Solution for Manufacturing” by AI Breakthrough, named a “Technology Pioneer” by the World Economic Forum, and highlighted by several other leading technology and innovation organizations.