MaterialsNorth Andover, MA, USAFounded 2017· One of 955 Materials companies tracked by AMPulse
Sustainable materials producer using UniMelt microwave plasma for battery materials and metal AM powders
CEO / Founder
Saurabh Ullal
Team Size
51-200
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$288.25M
Latest Round
Series E
Key Investors
Koch Strategic Platforms; LaunchCapital; Anzu Partners; Volta Energy Technologies; Energy Impact Partners; HG Ventures; Safar Partners; Material Impact; RKS Ventures; Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
Microwave plasma atomization, sustainable feedstock, battery + AM materials, domestic US production
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Sustainable production of critical materials using 6000°C microwave plasma technology
How They Differentiate
Sustainable feedstock (including recycled), dual market (batteries + AM), US production
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Battery manufacturers, Metal AM users, EV OEMs
Industry Verticals
Additive Manufacturing, Electric Vehicles, Energy Storage, Aerospace
Competitors
Nanophase, NanoSteel, Tekna Plasma Systems
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
{"doe_grant": "$107M for UniMelt plant", "dod_funding": "$23.4M", "total_funding": "$250M+", "planned_capacity_2025": "3,000 tons per annum", "planned_capacity_2026": "10,000 tons per annum", "series_e_funding_2024": "$82M"}
Major Milestones
Sep 2024: CEO transition from Dr. Aaron Bent to Dr. Saurabh Ullal; Jul 2024: Series E $82M closing; DOE Grant for $107M UniMelt plant; DOD $23.4M funding; 2024: Multiple new distribution partnerships
Notable Customers
U.S. Army (Blanket Purchase Agreement), Defense contractors, Aerospace manufacturers, Battery material producers
6K occupies a dual-market position as a sustainable producer of metal additive manufacturing powders and battery cathode materials. Its core differentiator is the UniMelt microwave plasma platform, which operates at approximately 6,000 Kelvin — roughly the temperature of the sun's surface — to convert scrap and low-grade feedstock into high-purity spherical powders. The company claims a 91% energy reduction and 92% carbon emission reduction for Inconel 718 powder production compared to conventional atomization methods.
The company operates two business lines: 6K Additive, which supplies metal AM powders for laser powder bed fusion and directed energy deposition, and 6K Energy, which produces cathode active materials for lithium-ion batteries. Target customers include metal AM service bureaus, aerospace primes, defense contractors, battery manufacturers, and electric vehicle OEMs. Notable engagements include a five-year Blanket Purchase Agreement with the U.S. Army and grant partnerships with the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Defense.
6K has raised over $288 million from investors including Koch Strategic Platforms, Anzu Partners, Energy Impact Partners, and Volta Energy Technologies. A $107 million DOE grant supports construction of a UniMelt production plant, with planned capacity scaling from 3,000 tons per annum in 2025 to 10,000 tons per annum in 2026. The company competes with Tekna Plasma Systems and Nanophase in plasma-based powder production, but differentiates through its use of recycled feedstock and its simultaneous focus on both AM and energy storage markets.
A key strategic question is whether 6K can maintain cost parity with conventional gas-atomized powders while scaling production to meet the volume demands of both aerospace and EV battery supply chains. The company's domestic U.S. production base offers supply-chain resilience advantages, particularly for defense-related AM applications, but the capital intensity of microwave plasma facilities requires sustained customer adoption across both target verticals.
Competitive Intelligence
Competitors, SWOT analysis, and investment insights