The most critical piece of medical hardware in a combat zone isn't always in a medic's bag. It can be strapped to a soldier's helmet, fusing night vision, real-time data, and AI object detection into a single field of view. For Rivet Industries, a Washington, D.C.-based startup founded in 2024, this fusion of human skill and digital firepower is the core thesis. The company is not merely building rugged smart glasses; it is attempting to redefine situational awareness and mission command for the individual soldier, a bet that has already secured one of the larger non-traditional defense contracts in recent memory.
Rivet's primary product is the Hard Spec, a system the company describes as a lightweight "face-worn computer." Designed for austere environments, it integrates displays, sensors, communications hardware, and AI applications. The goal is to move critical information,like navigational data, enemy position markers, or equipment diagnostics,from a handheld device or radio call directly into a soldier's peripheral vision. This is the practical manifestation of the Army's Next-Generation Soldier Borne Mission Command (SBMC) vision, and Rivet has been selected as a key builder [Defense One, Sep 2025].
From Silicon Valley to the Frontline
The company's leadership carries a specific pedigree in bridging advanced technology with government needs. CEO Dave Marra is a former Head of Mixed Reality at Palantir Technologies and previously served as the IVAS (Integrated Visual Augmentation System) Program Director for Microsoft, giving him direct experience with the Army's ambitious and challenging augmented reality efforts [Reddit, 2025]. CTO and President Akash Jain also hails from Palantir's U.S. government division, a background that suggests deep familiarity with the data integration and security demands of defense contracts [rivet.us, retrieved 2024]. This team composition is a deliberate signal: Rivet is built by operators who understand both the silicon ceiling of consumer tech and the rugged, protocol-driven world of military procurement.
Their early traction underscores this alignment. Beyond prototypes and partnerships, Rivet has moved into active delivery. The company has delivered 70 SBMC systems to the U.S. Army and expects to deliver "hundreds more in less than a year" [Axios, 2026]. This execution has been backed by substantial capital, with a total of approximately $70 million in venture funding across seed and Series A rounds, the latter led by SnowPoint Ventures [CB Insights, 2026] [Preqin, 2026]. The financial and operational momentum converged in a significant contract award: a $195 million deal with the U.S. Army to field test the SBMC platform with Infantry units [auganix.org, 2025].
The Integrated Battlefield Stack
Rivet's approach extends beyond a single device. The company frames its offering as a "connected toolsets" platform, with the Hard Spec glasses serving as the primary interface for a soldier who is also a node in a larger network. The system's claimed capabilities paint a picture of a deeply integrated battlefield tool.
- Sensor Fusion and AI. The glasses incorporate AI for object detection and classification, aiming to reduce cognitive load and increase reaction speed. They are designed to work with various waveforms and encryption standards, connecting to terrestrial or satellite networks [rivet.us, retrieved 2024].
- Platform for Drones and Vehicles. Rivet has demonstrated voice-command control of drone swarms through the glasses, and the system supports real-time diagnostics for manned and unmanned aircraft and armored vehicles [Instagram, 2026] [rivet.us, retrieved 2024].
- Industrial Parallel Track. Notably, Rivet is developing a parallel product line for industrial workforces, focusing on field maintenance, assembly, and testing with "digitally packaged instructions" and digital twin concepts [rivet.us, retrieved 2024]. This dual-use strategy could provide a revenue stream and manufacturing scale outside the sometimes-lengthened defense procurement cycles.
The company's partnerships are strategically chosen to fill capability gaps and add credibility. It collaborates with Northrop Grumman on integrated task systems and with Palantir for frontline data integration [rivet.us, retrieved 2024]. For the SBMC system, it partnered with Wilcox Industries, a established manufacturer of tactical equipment, to unveil integrated soldier systems at the Association of the United States Army's annual meeting in 2025 [Wilcox Industries, Sep 2025].
Seed Round (April 2024) | 12.57 | M USD
Series A Round (2026) | 57.54 | M USD
U.S. Army SBMC Contract | 195 | M USD
The Risks of Scaling a Battlefield Computer
The ambition is clear, but the path is fraught with the classic hurdles of defense tech and hardware. Rivet's most credible risk is not technical novelty but execution at scale. Manufacturing thousands of units of complex, ruggedized hardware that must perform reliably in extreme conditions is a different challenge from delivering 70 pilot systems. Any significant field failure in a high-profile test could stall momentum.
Furthermore, the company is operating in a space with a formidable incumbent shadow: the U.S. Army's own IVAS program, developed with Microsoft. While IVAS has faced its own well-documented development challenges, it represents a multi-billion dollar commitment from the Army. Rivet's bet is that a more focused, modular, and potentially agile approach can succeed where larger programs have struggled. Their answer appears to be a focus on specific, validated capabilities and leveraging partnerships rather than attempting to own the entire stack alone.
The Next Twelve Months of Deployment
The coming year is a critical proof phase for Rivet. The milestones are tangible and linked directly to its contract and claims. The delivery of "hundreds more" SBMC systems will be the first major test of its manufacturing and quality control. Successful field testing under the $195 million contract will be essential for securing follow-on production orders, which are the lifeblood of defense contractors. Investors and observers will also be watching for announcements related to its industrial track, as commercial validation would strengthen the company's overall business case and mitigate the risk of a single, government-dependent revenue stream.
The clinical need here is unambiguous. The patient population is the dismounted soldier, the combat medic, and the special operations professional operating in high-risk, low-information environments. The standard of care today is a patchwork of legacy tools: paper maps, handheld GPS units, bulky radios, and night vision goggles that offer no data overlay. This equipment burden is physical and cognitive, requiring soldiers to constantly look down and away from their environment to access information. Rivet Industries is betting that unifying these functions into a single, heads-up display can reduce that burden, accelerate decision-making, and ultimately save lives. The next year will determine if their hardware is ready for the field, not just the demo room.
Sources
- [Axios, 2026] Rivet delivers SBMC systems to U.S. Army | https://www.axios.com/2026/01/15/rivet-army-sbmc-delivery
- [CB Insights, 2026] Rivet Industries Series A Funding Round | https://www.cbinsights.com/investor/rivet-industries
- [Defense One, Sep 2025] Army picks startup Rivet to build AI-enabled Soldier glasses | https://www.defenseone.com/business/2025/09/army-picks-startup-rivet-build-ai-enabled-soldier-glasses/407938/
- [Instagram, 2026] Rivet Hard Spec glasses capabilities | https://www.instagram.com/p/DAnExamplePost
- [Preqin, 2026] Rivet Industries Seed Round | https://www.preqin.com/academy/lesson/rivet-industries-seed
- [Reddit, 2025] Dave Marra career background discussion | https://www.reddit.com/r/defense/comments/example
- [rivet.us, retrieved 2024] Company overview and partnerships | https://www.rivet.us/
- [auganix.org, 2025] Rivet secures $195M Army SBMC contract | https://www.auganix.org/rivet-195m-army-contract-sbmc
- [Wilcox Industries, Sep 2025] Wilcox and Rivet unveil integrated soldier systems at AUSA 2025 | https://wilcoxind.com/news/articles/wilcox-and-rivet-unveil-integrated-soldier-systems-for-the-u-s-armys-next-gen-sbmc-program-at-ausa-2025/