MIT grads build smart tool to help test fighter jets, robots faster

Nominal, an MIT-founded startup led by Jason Hoch, Cameron McCord, and Bryce Strauss, has developed a smart software platform designed to help engineers manage and analyze complex data from hardware systems such as fighter jets, robots, rockets, and satellites. Their flagship product, Nominal Core, enables teams to organize, visualize, and securely share test and operational data from hundreds of sources in real time, allowing engineers to detect patterns, identify anomalies, and accelerate hardware development. The second product, Nominal Connect, facilitates building custom applications to automate and synchronize hardware systems. The platform addresses a critical bottleneck in hardware progress by providing actionable insights that help engineers understand system behavior and improve testing and validation processes. Nominal serves a broad range of industries including aerospace, defense, manufacturing, robotics, and even nuclear fusion, where its tools help predict component failures and optimize performance. The startup recently raised $75 million in a Series B funding round led by Sequoia Capital, which will be used to expand their