Skip to main content

Forge Nano

MaterialsThornton, USAFounded 2011· One of 963 Materials companies tracked by AMPulse

A materials science company that utilizes proprietary Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology to engineer surface properties at the atomic level, enhancing the performance and safety of batteries, semiconductors, and industrial materials.

CEO / Founder
Paul Lichty
Team Size
201-500
Stage
Growth Stage
Total Funding
$238.0M
Latest Round
Series D
Key Investors
RockCreek, Ascent Funds, GM Ventures, Hanwha, Volkswagen, LG Technology Ventures

Technology & Products

Key Products

Forge Nano's core offering is its proprietary Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology, branded as 'Atomic Armor'. This technology is used to apply precision nano-coatings to materials, enhancing their durability, energy density, and safety. Applications include batteries (Lithium-ion), semiconductors, and various industrial materials.

Technological Advantage

Their 'Atomic Armor' process applies conformal coatings that are chemically bonded at the atomic level, allowing for a 50% reduction in chip energy usage and significantly higher voltage stability in EV batteries without compromising core material properties.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Enables industrial-scale, high-throughput precision nano-coatings that improve material durability, energy density, and safety while reducing manufacturing costs and energy consumption.

How They Differentiate

Proprietary 'Atomic Armor' technology enables high-throughput, industrial-scale Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) for both powders and wafers, significantly improving material durability and performance at a lower cost than traditional lab-scale ALD.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers, semiconductor foundries, aerospace and defense contractors, medical device manufacturers, and pharmaceutical companies.

Industry Verticals

["Energy Storage & Batteries","Semiconductors","Aerospace & Defense","Medical Devices","Chemicals & Catalysts","Additive Manufacturing"]

Competitors

Volexion, Sila, Eastar Chemical, HZO, Natron Energy, Denton Vacuum, Semicore, Laurell Technologies.

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Reached an estimated $24M in revenue in 2025 with a team of over 140 employees.

Major Milestones

["Acquisition of ALD NanoSolutions in February 2020","Launch of Forge Battery subsidiary for commercial cell manufacturing in 2023","Secured $10M strategic investment from GM Ventures in October 2024","Awarded $100M from the U.S. Department of Energy for North Carolina Gigafactory in January 2025","Closed $40M Series D funding round in April 2025"]

Notable Customers

Nouveau Monde (collaboration for advanced coatings for Li-ion battery anode material).

https://www.forgenano.com/

Why this company matters

Forge Nano occupies a distinctive position in materials science by industrializing atomic layer deposition (ALD), a process traditionally confined to slow, batch-based laboratory use. The company's proprietary Atomic Armor technology applies conformal, chemically bonded nano-coatings to powders and wafers at production scale, enabling improvements in material durability, energy density, and safety without altering core material properties. This positions the company as a supplier to manufacturers of lithium-ion batteries, semiconductors, and advanced industrial materials who need precision surface engineering at commercially viable throughput.

The core technology uses ALD to deposit films one atom at a time onto particle surfaces, creating coatings that are uniform even on complex geometries. Forge Nano's innovation lies in adapting this process for continuous, high-volume manufacturing, which it claims can reduce chip energy usage by 50% and improve voltage stability in EV batteries. The company serves customers across energy storage, aerospace, defense, medical devices, and additive manufacturing, with a named collaboration with Nouveau Monde for advanced coatings on lithium-ion battery anode material.

Forge Nano's strategic moat is reinforced by a strong IP portfolio covering ALD methods for battery materials and fine metal particles, and by deep partnerships with automotive and energy players including General Motors, Volkswagen Group, LG Technology Ventures, and Hanwha Aerospace. A $100 million U.S. Department of Energy award in January 2025 supports construction of a North Carolina gigafactory for commercial cell manufacturing through its Forge Battery subsidiary. The company closed a $40 million Series D round in April 2025 and reported an estimated $24 million in revenue for 2025 with over 140 employees.

A key open question is whether Forge Nano can maintain its throughput and cost advantages as competitors like Volexion, Sila, and HZO develop alternative coating or material enhancement approaches. The company's ability to scale its ALD platform across multiple end markets—from EV batteries to semiconductor fabs—will determine whether it becomes a standard infrastructure layer for precision materials or remains a specialized supplier to early adopters.