Hydra Manufacturing
University of Leeds spin-out that builds CHAMP, a hybrid additive-subtractive machine that 3D prints technical ceramics from conventional ceramic pastes and green-machines them in situ, with AI-based defect detection.
- CEO / Founder
- Louis Masters
- Team Size
- 1-10
- Stage
- Early Stage
- Total Funding
- $0.75M
- Latest Round
- Seed
- Key Investors
- SFC Capital; Innovate UK (via AMPI); Lucideon (grant match funding)
Technology & Products
Key Products
CHAMP (Ceramic Hybrid Additive Manufacturing Platform), a hybrid additive and subtractive machine for ceramic pastes; an AI-powered in-process defect detection and autonomous correction system; manufacturing process development services for ceramic components.
Technological Advantage
Its hybrid extrusion and in-situ green machining process avoids the slow build times and material limits of vat-photopolymerization ceramic AM. The closed-loop AI defect detection and correction comes from university research led by Prof. Robert Kay. A strategic materials partnership with Lucideon adds ceramic processing expertise.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Production-grade ceramic parts in days rather than weeks. CHAMP combines near-net-shape paste extrusion with in-situ CNC green machining to give high precision and low surface roughness. Customers can bring advanced ceramic part production into their own facilities.
How They Differentiate
Lithoz, 3DCeram and Admatec mainly sell photopolymer slurry-based (LCM/SLA/DLP) ceramic printers. Hydra instead uses hybrid paste extrusion with in-situ subtractive machining and AI defect correction, aiming for faster builds of larger, production-grade parts from conventional ceramic feedstocks.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Manufacturers and R&D centres that need high-performance technical ceramic or cermet components, including aerospace, medical implant, industrial processing and extreme-environment electronics producers, and ceramics research centres.
Industry Verticals
Aerospace; Medical devices and implants; Industrial machinery and processing; Electronics for extreme environments; Advanced ceramics R&D
Competitors
Lithoz; 3DCeram; Admatec
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Total funding about £577k as of March 2026; first customers secured with further demonstrations under way; about 1,000 LinkedIn followers.
Major Milestones
2024: incorporated in England & Wales (No. 15939081) as a University of Leeds spin-out; 2024: awarded a £180k AMPI advanced machinery grant with Lucideon match funding; 2025: CHAMP launched and Lucideon collaboration announced; 2025: exhibited at Formnext and TCT 3Sixty; Mar 2026: raised £320k led by SFC Capital (total about £577k); Mar 2026: Prof. Keith Jackson appointed Non-Executive Chair.
Notable Customers
AMRICC Centre (operates a CHAMP 3D printer)