1872 Closes $15M Seed Funding Round and Launches Autonomous Steel Fabrication Factory Model in Ohio

Startup 1872 raised $15 million in seed funding from The O.H.I.O. Fund to build an AI-native autonomous steel fabrication factory in Cincinnati. The factory uses agentic AI and robotic welding to automate materials sourcing, planning, and production, aiming to cut lead times from months to weeks. This prototype model could expand to other factories and manufacturing markets.