Detroit Startup Bloom Raises $3.6M Seed Round to Connect U.S. Hardware Companies with Domestic Manufacturers

Bloom, a Detroit-based startup, announced a $3.6 million seed round on October 7, 2026, to expand its AI-powered marketplace connecting hardware companies with U.S.-based manufacturers, shippers, and other suppliers.

The round was led by SNAK Venture Partners, a marketplace-focused investment firm. Additional investors include Flyover Capital, Mana Ventures, Detroit Venture Partners, Invest Detroit Ventures, and the Michigan Outdoor Innovation Fund.

Co-founded in 2023 by Justin Kosmides, who serves as CEO, Bloom originally aimed to handle logistics, manufacturing, and supply chain work directly for mobility companies such as e-bike and e-scooter makers. The startup has since shifted to a pure marketplace model, building AI agents that help customers find suppliers, parts, contract manufacturing, assembly, design and engineering services, freight, warehousing, and hazardous-materials shipping.

The pivot was driven in part by broader market shifts. As tariffs on imported goods accelerated domestic manufacturing activity, demand came not just from mobility companies but also from robotics startups, drone makers, and other hardware firms. Bloom repositioned to serve that wider audience. To date, the platform has made more than 2,000 matches for over 140 companies, and Bloom’s revenue in the first five months of 2026 exceeded its total revenue for all of 2025. Platform memberships grew fivefold with low customer churn.

SNAK Venture Partners had initially passed on Bloom’s pre-seed round in April 2025, citing a desire for more traction, but continued tracking the company before leading this round. Kosmides noted that securing investors willing to lead a round — rather than follow — has become increasingly difficult in the current fundraising environment.

Bloom’s marketplace ingests public data about suppliers alongside information provided directly by the companies themselves, which Kosmides said accounts for roughly 30–40% of the platform’s data. He described this proprietary data layer as central to the platform’s matching accuracy. Kosmides compared Bloom’s model to what Alibaba did in China — creating a marketplace for contract manufacturers — but focused on the U.S. market.

The platform may also create new opportunities for smaller manufacturers. Kosmides cited one Michigan-based contract manufacturer that had previously taken on jobs refurbishing consumer electronics and restaurant displays and is now bidding on drone assembly contracts through Bloom.