Isembard CEO Plans Manufacturing Revolution Across Europe

London startup Isembard wants to rebuild Europe's industrial capacity at a critical moment for supply chain security. Founder and CEO Alexander Fitzgerald speaks bluntly about the enormous challenge ahead.

Europe's manufacturing sector faces serious pressure. Defense, aerospace, energy and other vital industries need precision parts delivered quickly. Many traditional suppliers operate with aging equipment, scattered production capacity and heavy reliance on overseas factories. Fitzgerald argues the West confronts a manufacturing crisis threatening both economic prosperity and national security.

Isembard calls itself a software-first manufacturing company. The startup builds modular automated factories and links them through proprietary software. 

The goal is producing high-precision components for critical industries with speed, scale and reliability. The model uses decentralized production where networked factories can adjust capacity, handle demand spikes and manufacture products close to customers.

Fitzgerald described his vision this way: "Manufacturing is the backbone of economic prosperity, national security and our collective purpose as humanity. Yet our industrial base is dying. We're building a new model."

The timing matches shifts in defense procurement, supply chain strategy and geopolitical risk. European governments now recognize that depending entirely on distant manufacturing networks puts critical capabilities at risk. 

Isembard positions itself as part of the solution by creating resilient local production networks. The company targets defense, aerospace, energy and broader heavy industry customers.

Isembard raised seed funding to accelerate expansion. The company produces high-precision components and plans to grow both its factory network and software platform. Its proprietary system MasonOS integrates quoting, scheduling, production and quality control across multiple facilities. This enables data-driven and AI-powered manufacturing execution.