Squint’s Ambitious Funding Round Signals a Shift in Manufacturing Tech

In a significant boost for the intersection of artificial intelligence and industrial operations, Squint, a San Francisco-based startup, has secured $40 million in Series B funding, valuing the company at $265 million. This round, co-led by The Westly Group and TCV with participation from repeat investors Sequoia Capital and Menlo Ventures, underscores growing investor confidence in technologies that bridge human expertise and digital efficiency on factory floors. Founded by Devin Bhushan, a former Splunk executive, Squint aims to transform how manufacturers capture and disseminate operational knowledge, particularly in an era marked by labor shortages and rapid technological change.

The company’s platform leverages AI and augmented reality to convert tacit knowledge—often trapped in workers’ minds or outdated manuals—into interactive, step-by-step guides accessible via mobile devices. This approach not only streamlines training but also enhances productivity, with early adopters reporting substantial improvements in operational consistency. According to details revealed in a recent Fortune exclusive, Squint’s technology is already in use by major corporations such as PepsiCo and Michelin, where it helps digitize standard operating procedures and empower frontline workers.

From Stone Tools to AI Agents: The Evolution of Manufacturing Intelligence

Manufacturing’s history stretches back millions of years, from primitive tools to today’s automated lines, yet much of it remains reliant on human intuition. Squint addresses this by creating “agentic” systems—AI-driven agents that guide workers in real-time, reducing errors and accelerating onboarding. As noted in a PR Newswire release, the fresh capital will fuel expansion into new markets and enhance the platform’s capabilities, building on a total funding haul now exceeding $59 million.

Industry insiders point to Squint’s prior $13 million Series A round in 2024, which focused on revolutionizing manufacturing intelligence, as a precursor to this larger infusion. Posts on X, formerly Twitter, from investors and tech observers highlight the buzz, with one noting the raise as a harbinger of the next industrial revolution, echoing sentiments in coverage from Yahoo Finance. This enthusiasm is tempered by challenges, including integration with legacy systems and ensuring data security in sensitive environments.

Client Success Stories and Competitive Edge

PepsiCo, for instance, has integrated Squint’s AR tools to modernize bottling and packaging lines, potentially cutting training times by half, based on anecdotal reports from similar implementations. Michelin, a tire manufacturing giant, uses the platform to standardize complex assembly processes across global facilities, aligning with broader industry trends toward digital twins and predictive maintenance. A Finsmes report details how this funding positions Squint to scale these successes, competing against players like Tulip Interfaces and Augury in the burgeoning manufacturing tech space.

Bhushan’s vision, inspired by his time at Splunk where he scaled enterprise software, emphasizes “dunking the three”—a basketball metaphor for aiming high in innovation. As per insights from VentureBeat, Squint’s AR foundation dates back to its 2023 funding, which emphasized digitizing factory workflows. With recognition from Fast Company as one of 2025’s most innovative companies, Squint is poised to influence how industries from food and beverage to automotive adapt to AI-driven efficiencies.

Investor Perspectives and Future Implications

Lead investors like The Westly Group, known for backing sustainable tech, see Squint as key to reducing manufacturing’s environmental footprint through optimized operations. TCV’s involvement signals belief in scalable software models that could disrupt traditional consulting-heavy approaches. Recent X discussions amplify this, with venture capitalists praising the $265 million valuation as justified amid AI hype, though some caution about execution risks in a capital-intensive sector.

Looking ahead, Squint plans to hire aggressively and expand its AI agents to handle predictive analytics, potentially forecasting equipment failures before they occur. This could save billions in downtime for clients, as manufacturing grapples with supply chain volatility. While the path forward includes navigating regulatory hurdles and proving ROI at scale, Squint’s latest raise positions it as a frontrunner in redefining human-machine collaboration in factories worldwide.