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Forge Nano

MaterialsThornton, Colorado, United StatesFounded 2013· One of 960 Materials companies tracked by AMPulse

Forge Nano provides advanced nano-coating solutions using its proprietary Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology to enhance material performance.

CEO / Founder
Paul Lichty
Team Size
51-200
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$203M
Latest Round
Series C
Key Investors
RockCreek, Ascent Funds, GM Ventures, Volkswagen, LG Technology Ventures, Hanwha, Mitsui Kinzoku, Sumitomo Corporation of Americas, Air Liquide, Catalus Capital, SBI Investment

Technology & Products

Key Products

Forge Nano's core offering is "Atomic Armor™," an industrial-scale platform utilizing Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology. This technology is applied to various industries, including batteries (for faster charging and longer lifespans), semiconductors, aerospace (for lighter aircraft and drones), and defense. They offer ALD equipment, materials optimization, and manufacturing support.

Technological Advantage

This scalable technology allows Forge Nano to enhance commodity materials into high-performance products, providing a significant cost and performance advantage, particularly in the competitive battery market.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Significantly improves the performance, durability, safety, and cost-effectiveness of materials, leading to longer battery lifespans, faster charging, and enhanced material properties for various powders.

How They Differentiate

Forge Nano differentiates through its specialized focus on particle ALD at a commercial scale. Its deep integration into the battery supply chain and strong partnerships with major automotive OEMs provide a significant competitive moat.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Battery manufacturers (EVs, consumer electronics), automotive OEMs, aerospace companies, and firms in the semiconductor and defense industries.

Industry Verticals

["Automotive","Energy Storage","Consumer Electronics","Aerospace/Defense","Semiconductors","Additive Manufacturing"]

Competitors

Volexion, Denton Vacuum, Semicore

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Rapidly scaling production capacity and establishing a new battery manufacturing gigafactory in North Carolina. The company reports a significant increase in customer demand and active projects.

Major Milestones

["Acquired ALD NanoSolutions in 2020.","Announced plans in 2023 for 'Forge Battery', a gigafactory in North Carolina for lithium-ion cell production.","Secured $50M in Series C funding in 2023 to scale U.S. battery manufacturing."]

Notable Customers

GM Ventures, Volkswagen, LG Technology Ventures, Mitsui Kinzoku, Air Liquide, Sumitomo Corporation of Americas

https://www.forgenano.com

Why this company matters

Forge Nano positions itself as a leader in particle atomic layer deposition (ALD), a process traditionally confined to lab-scale or flat substrates. The company's core innovation is scaling ALD to coat powders at commercial volumes, turning commodity materials into higher-performance products for batteries, semiconductors, aerospace, and defense.

The company's primary platform, Atomic Armor, applies conformal nanoscale coatings to powders such as cathode and anode active materials for lithium-ion batteries. In additive manufacturing, the same technology can coat metal powders like Inconel 718 or Ti-6Al-4V to improve flowability, reduce oxidation, and enhance sintered part properties. Forge Nano also offers ALD equipment, materials optimization, and manufacturing support services.

Forge Nano targets battery manufacturers, automotive OEMs, aerospace primes, and defense contractors. Named investors and partners include GM Ventures, Volkswagen, LG Technology Ventures, Hanwha, Mitsui Kinzoku, Sumitomo Corporation of Americas, and Air Liquide. The company announced plans in 2023 for a lithium-ion cell gigafactory in North Carolina under the Forge Battery brand, signaling vertical integration into cell production.

The company's competitive moat rests on its proprietary particle ALD process, a deep IP portfolio, and strategic partnerships with major automotive and battery supply chain players. Competitors include Volexion, Denton Vacuum, and Semicore. A key open question is whether Forge Nano can maintain its technology lead as ALD equipment makers and battery material suppliers develop competing powder-coating approaches.