Freeform Raises $67M to Revolutionize Metal 3D Printing with AI

Tech investors continue to fuel innovation in manufacturing, recognizing the potential to replicate the speed and flexibility of software development in the physical world. Freeform, a startup pioneering a novel 3D printing system for metal components, has secured $67 million in Series B funding to expand its manufacturing platform. TechCrunch first reported the news on February 19, 2026.

AI-Native Manufacturing Platform

The funding round included participation from Apandion, AE Ventures, Founders Fund, Linse Capital, NVidia’s NVentures, Threshold Ventures, and Two Sigma Ventures. While Freeform declined to disclose its post-financing valuation, Pitchbook estimates it at $179 million. This investment will be crucial in upgrading Freeform’s existing GoldenEye printing system, which utilizes 18 lasers to fuse metal powders into precision components.

Skyfall: The Next Generation of Metal 3D Printing

The next iteration of the platform, dubbed Skyfall, aims to dramatically increase production capacity. Skyfall is designed to employ hundreds of lasers, capable of producing thousands of kilograms of metal parts daily. This represents a significant leap forward from current capabilities and aligns with the company’s vision, launched in 2018 by CEO and co-founder Erik Palitsch and co-founder/president Thomas Ronacher.

From SpaceX to Additive Manufacturing Innovation

Palitsch and Ronacher met while working on rocket engines at SpaceX, where they identified key shortcomings in existing industrial metal 3D printing machines. They observed that these machines were often expensive, unreliable, and not optimized for large-scale manufacturing. This realization spurred them to create a platform built from the ground up for higher throughput, flexibility, and active software controls.

Leveraging AI and Supercomputing Power

Freeform’s platform is described as “AI native,” benefiting from a strategic partnership with Nvidia. This collaboration provides access to advanced GPUs, including H200 clusters, enabling real-time physics-based simulations and continuous learning throughout the manufacturing workflow. According to Freeform, they are uniquely positioned in the manufacturing sector with this level of on-site supercomputing power.

Data-Driven Optimization and Expansion

The company leverages data collected from sensors within its manufacturing platform and simulations to refine production quality and quantity. Head of Talent Cameron Kay stated that Freeform possesses “more meaningful data on the physics of the metal-printing process than any company in the world.” Freeform is currently fulfilling orders for “mission-critical” parts and plans to expand its workforce by up to 100 employees and increase facility capacity to address its existing contract backlog.

The Rise of Manufacturing-as-a-Service

Freeform’s success is part of a broader trend of growth in the manufacturing-as-a-service sector, attracting significant venture capital investment. Companies like Hadrian, VulcanForms, and Divergent are also raising substantial funding to develop advanced metal-printing services. 3DPrint.com highlights the increasing investor interest in building vehicles, robots, and energy production systems.