GroundControl: Building the Backbone of Compliance for Regulated Industries

In industries like aerospace, defense, and medical manufacturing, quality control isn't just important—it’s a legal and operational necessity. Every component, no matter how small, must be documented, verified, and traceable. But the traditional process of preparing quality documentation is agonizingly slow, error-prone, and largely manual.

For instance, building a Boeing 777 requires coordinating over 3 million parts from countless suppliers. Each part demands documentation—first article inspections (FAIs), in-process validations, drawing annotations, and more. Historically, this documentation could take hours or days for a single part.

GroundControl steps in as a vertical AI solution tailored to the high-stakes world of regulated manufacturing. It slashes the time required for documentation from days to minutes, ensuring manufacturers stay compliant, productive, and customer-focused.

By introducing automation into this traditionally manual process, GroundControl empowers engineers and quality inspectors to redirect their efforts toward higher-value tasks. In a sector where compliance failures can result in costly penalties or even endanger lives, accuracy and speed are not just competitive advantages—they are critical necessities.

Who Is Behind GroundControl?

Founded in 2024 and backed by Y Combinator’s X25 batch, GroundControl is the brainchild of three experienced founders:

• Mehul Shah, CEO
• Matthew Noseworthy, CTO
• Nick Warren, COO

The founding team brings a deep understanding of both software innovation and the manufacturing ecosystem. With headquarters in San Francisco and support from Y Combinator partner David Lieb, they’ve built GroundControl to serve a critical need in an industry on the edge of digital transformation.

What sets this team apart is not just their technical prowess, but also their intimate understanding of how legacy systems and inefficient workflows have stunted innovation in regulated manufacturing for decades. Their collective experience has enabled them to build a product that doesn’t just digitize documentation—it transforms it.

How Does GroundControl Work?

GroundControl’s magic lies in its simplicity and intelligence. The process involves just four intuitive steps:

1. Upload a Drawing — Any engineering drawing works—old, new, scanned, even damaged. GroundControl accepts them all.
2. Select an Area — Users simply highlight the desired area of the print, be it GD&T callouts, notes, or part dimensions.
3. Let the AI Take Over — GroundControl’s AI instantly extracts relevant information, applies tolerances, interprets control frames, and finds reference points.
4. Export in Any Format — Whether it’s AS9102 Rev C, Net-Inspect, in-process checks, or custom templates, documentation can be downloaded and submitted within minutes.

This streamlined experience removes the traditional bottlenecks associated with ballooning drawings, validating features, and generating inspection reports. Additionally, it minimizes human error—a common cause of costly rework in regulated environments.

What Makes GroundControl Different?

GroundControl isn’t just a marginal improvement over existing software—it’s a leap forward in how manufacturers approach compliance and quality documentation.

• Unlimited Users, Zero Installations: One fee per facility. No per-seat licenses. No setup headaches. Hosted in AWS GovCloud, fully compliant with ITAR and NIST 800-171.
• AI-Powered Drawing Analysis: Automatically balloon notes, extract GD&T and tolerances, and parse even messy PDFs. Accuracy rates reach up to 95% for Feature Control Frames (FCFs).
• Customizable & Scalable: Users can import BOMs, generate subassemblies, and export to any required format—including company-specific documentation templates.
• Integrated With CMMs: GroundControl integrates with any Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) to automatically populate inspection results, making in-process and final reporting seamless.

Unlike other tools, GroundControl is designed with scalability in mind. Whether it’s a startup aerospace supplier or a multinational defense contractor, the platform adapts to the needs of its users without adding overhead or licensing complexity.

Why Does GroundControl Matter Now?

Manufacturing is undergoing a revolution. The reindustrialization of critical sectors—driven by global supply chain shifts, geopolitical uncertainty, and rapid innovation—demands smarter, faster systems.

But most manufacturers are still held back by:

• Outdated legacy software
• Spreadsheet-based workflows
• Disconnected point solutions

GroundControl represents a new wave of vertical SaaS platforms—tools built specifically for niche, high-stakes industries. It’s not general-purpose. It’s purpose-built.

The result? Better systems for better products.

And in a global economy where delays, rejections, and penalties have direct financial consequences, using an intelligent, automated system like GroundControl doesn’t just improve efficiency—it protects the bottom line.

What Do Users Say?

Don’t just take GroundControl’s word for it. Here’s what professionals on the shop floor are saying:

“GroundControl AI parsed an entire drawing in 5 minutes... before, it took at least 1 hour!”
— Edgar Arevalo, Quality Inspector

These testimonials reflect real-world improvements in workflow, speed, and job satisfaction. By empowering operators and inspectors with intelligent tools, GroundControl enhances the overall performance of manufacturing teams.

Is GroundControl Secure and Compliant?

Security and compliance are non-negotiable in regulated industries. GroundControl understands this deeply.

• Hosted in AWS GovCloud
• Compliant with NIST 800-171
• ITAR-registered
• No on-premise installation needed

Whether it’s for internal audits, regulatory inspections, or customer trust, GroundControl ensures your data is secure and your systems are compliant.

GroundControl’s commitment to compliance extends beyond its architecture. The team regularly updates the platform to reflect changes in regulatory requirements, helping customers stay ahead of compliance trends without added complexity.

What’s the Pricing Model?

Unlike traditional software that nickel-and-dimes customers with per-seat licensing, GroundControl keeps it simple:

• Pricing is per facility
• Unlimited users included
• Unlimited support included
• First response times under 10 minutes

Custom documentation templates incur only a one-time setup fee. The focus is on enabling manufacturers to scale without added cost or complexity.

This model is especially attractive to growing companies that want to onboard multiple users across departments without facing surprise bills or technical barriers.

How Does GroundControl Compare to Other Solutions?

Many manufacturers currently rely on older tools like Discus. While these legacy systems get the job done, GroundControl offers a next-generation alternative—fully cloud-based, more accurate, easier to use, and priced for scalability. GroundControl also removes barriers like per-user fees and installation, and it offers real-time, responsive support.

Beyond functional comparisons, GroundControl delivers a better user experience—modern design, intuitive interfaces, and fewer clicks to results. That means less training, faster adoption, and happier teams.

What’s Next for GroundControl?

GroundControl is already delivering value in aerospace and defense manufacturing. But the vision goes beyond faster documentation.

The company is working toward a future where:

• AI not only reads engineering prints—but understands them.
• Compliance workflows become invisible.
• Data across systems becomes interconnected and actionable.

There is also potential for expansion into adjacent verticals like medical devices and automotive manufacturing, where the need for precise, validated documentation is just as vital.

GroundControl isn’t just software—it’s a foundational layer for the future of industrial productivity.

Why Is GroundControl Positioned for Long-Term Success?

With industry-specific compliance, AI-enhanced functionality, and a user-first business model, GroundControl has carved out a clear niche.

It reflects a broader trend in B2B software: vertical SaaS built for complex, overlooked sectors.

Much like Veeva in life sciences or Procore in construction, GroundControl is becoming the go-to platform for documentation and compliance in regulated manufacturing.

As global manufacturing evolves, one thing is clear: those who build need better tools. GroundControl is building them.

By aligning product innovation with industry pain points, GroundControl ensures that its roadmap grows alongside its users. This commitment to continuous improvement and responsiveness to feedback sets it up for long-term success.

Conclusion: Is GroundControl the Future of Manufacturing Documentation?

Absolutely.

By solving a critical pain point with intelligence, scalability, and compliance baked in, GroundControl positions itself not just as a product, but as a partner for manufacturers navigating a more demanding, digitized future.

In a world where precision is everything and delays are costly, GroundControl gives manufacturers back what they need most: time, accuracy, and peace of mind.

And as industrial transformation accelerates, solutions like GroundControl will be indispensable—not just for surviving, but for leading in the next era of manufacturing.