Freeform raises $67M Series B to scale up laser AI manufacturing
Source: TechCrunch
Freeform raised a $67 million Series B to scale its laser‑AI manufacturing platform.
Funding round
Executives at Freeform, a startup developing a novel 3D‑printing system for metal components, announced the Series B round.
Investors include Apandion, AE Ventures, Founders Fund, Linse Capital, Nvidia’s NVentures, Threshold Ventures, and Two Sigma Ventures. Freeform declined to disclose the post‑financing valuation, which Pitchbook estimates at $179 million.
Technology
The funding will enable an upgrade from the current GoldenEye printing system— which uses 18 lasers to fuse metal powders— to a new version called Skyfall. Skyfall aims to employ hundreds of lasers to produce thousands of kilograms of metal parts each day, leveraging active software controls and AI‑native workflows.
Key technical highlights:
- AI integration: A partnership with Nvidia provides access to advanced GPUs, allowing real‑time physics‑based simulations and machine‑learning‑driven optimization of the manufacturing workflow.
- Data‑driven quality: Sensors embedded in the platform collect extensive data on the metal‑printing process, enabling rapid improvements in production quality and throughput.
- On‑site H200 clusters: Freeform operates Nvidia H200 GPU clusters in a dedicated data center on site, running real‑time simulations and learning across the end‑to‑end workflow.
“We have more meaningful data on the physics of the metal‑printing process than any company in the world,” said head of talent Cameron Kay.
Company background
Co‑founders Erik Palitsch (CEO) and Thomas Ronacher (President) launched Freeform in 2018 after meeting while developing rocket engines at SpaceX. They identified that existing industrial metal‑printing machines were expensive, finicky, and poorly suited for mass manufacturing. Their vision was to build a platform from the ground up with higher throughput, flexibility, and AI‑driven control.
Market context
Manufacturing‑as‑a‑service is gaining traction as venture capital increasingly backs companies building vehicles, robots, and energy‑production systems. Notable examples:
- Hadrian secured a $1.6 billion valuation while developing automated production for defense.
- VulcanForms and Divergent have each raised hundreds of millions to develop their own metal‑printing services.
Freeform plans to hire up to 100 new employees and expand its facility to meet a growing contract backlog, delivering hundreds of “mission‑critical” parts to undisclosed customers.