HardwareCoeur d Alene, Idaho, United StatesFounded 2012· One of 1757 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse
Continuous Composites develops CF3D technology for 3D printing continuous fiber reinforced composites without molds.
CEO / Founder
Steve Starner
Team Size
11-50
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$20.7M
Latest Round
Series A
Key Investors
B. Riley Venture Capital, Arkema, Saint-Gobain S.A.
Technology & Products
Key Products
CF3D (Continuous Fiber 3D Printing) technology, including hardware, software, and materials for automated manufacturing of continuous fiber reinforced composites.
Technological Advantage
Patented continuous fiber reinforcement produces parts with strength approaching traditional composites but without molds
Differentiation
Value Proposition
CF3D technology enables rapid production of high-strength composite parts without expensive molds or autoclaves.
How They Differentiate
True continuous fiber vs. chopped fiber competitors; no mold requirement; rapid prototyping to production
Team size 11-50 employees; relocated to 17,000+ sq ft facility at 3875 N Schreiber Way, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83815; $17M Series A raised 2021; Blue-chip industrial and governmental customers including AFWERX/US Air Force contracts
Major Milestones
2015: Founded in Idaho; Secured one of world's earliest continuous fiber 3D printing patents (2012); 2024: Steve Starner succeeds Tyler Alvarado as CEO; 2021: Raised $17M Series A from B. Riley Venture Capital; Partners include Arkema, Siemens, Comau, Güdel, Saint-Gobain
Notable Customers
Aerospace and defense industry clients (approximately 10 active clients at any given time), US Government/Defense, Saint-Gobain partnership
Continuous Composites occupies a distinct position in additive manufacturing as the developer of CF3D, a process that deposits continuous fiber reinforcement in a thermoset resin matrix during printing. Unlike chopped fiber systems from Markforged or the compression molding approach of ARRIS Composites, CF3D lays continuous tows of carbon, glass, or aramid fiber in three dimensions without requiring a mold or autoclave. This eliminates tooling lead time and cost for high-strength composite parts.
The core technology combines a robotic or gantry-mounted print head with rapid-curing photopolymer resin that wets and consolidates the fiber in situ. The resulting parts achieve fiber volume fractions and mechanical properties approaching those of traditional prepreg layup, but with the geometric freedom of 3D printing. Continuous Composites sells hardware, software, and materials as an integrated manufacturing solution rather than a standalone printer.
Target customers include aerospace primes, defense contractors, and automotive OEMs that need strong, lightweight parts in low to medium volumes. The company has active partnerships with Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Saint-Gobain, and counts approximately ten active aerospace and defense clients at any given time. Applications range from tooling and fixtures to flight-qualified structural components.
The company's moat rests on early patents covering continuous fiber printing, a technology that has attracted $20.7M in funding from investors including B. Riley Venture Capital, Arkema, and Saint-Gobain. A key open question is whether CF3D can scale from prototyping and low-rate production into the high-volume automotive or aerospace serial production that would justify its capital equipment cost. With 30 employees and plans to double headcount, Continuous Composites is betting that moldless composite manufacturing will become a standard process in aerospace and defense supply chains.