Autonomy · El Segundo, CA · Founded 2023 · Raised $131.3M · Early stage
Rainmaker
Uses drone-based cloud seeding to increase rainfall, restore ecosystems, and fight drought
Review noteFounded 2023; announced a $100M Series B in Sept 2026 'bringing Rainmaker's disclosed funding to at least $131.3M'. Source ↗
Edge
19#80 · ▼9 in 7d
2 of 8 families
Why now
People
- Samuel KimSearch ↗
Responsible person on FAA Part 107 waiver
Score
Momentum47
Regulatory, hiring
Thesis fit77
× 0.83
Matched on drone, radar, unmanned
Earliness27
× 0.56
Already visible: capital raised, funding stage
Team–
× 0.85
1 named person, none from a top lab or company
47 × 0.83 × 0.56 × 0.85 = 19
Edge, 12 weeks
Signals
- Oct 19HiringAll 25 open roles republished on Oct 19 in a move from Lever to Ashby, not new hiring↗
- Oct 13Hiring4 of 25 open roles posted in the last 30 days, against 9 in the 30 days before↗
- Sep 16RegulatoryReceived FCC special temporary authority for radar testing at Pendleton, Oregon, 15 days after filing↗
- Sep 8RegulatoryFAA waiver to fly multiple drones per pilot beyond visual line of sight, valid to Mar 2029↗