Skip to main content

Meta Additive

HardwareStoke-on-Trent, UK (formerly Liverpool)Founded 2019· One of 1708 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse

Develops advanced binder jetting systems with novel functional binders for metal and ceramic additive manufacturing, targeting automotive, aerospace, and medical sectors with improved speed, material choice, and part quality.

CEO / Founder
Simon Scott
Team Size
1-10
Stage
Acquired
Total Funding
$15M
Latest Round
Acquired
Key Investors
Innovate UK; Desktop Metal

Technology & Products

Key Products

Hierarchical Binder-jet Printing Process; Advanced binder jetting systems for metals and ceramics; Novel functional binders

Technological Advantage

VERIFIED: Patented binder IP reduces part shrinkage during sintering by up to 50%, enabling larger parts and improved tolerances. DEFENSIBLE: Protected by intellectual property from University of Liverpool and supported by Innovate UK SMART Grant funding.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Reduces part shrinkage during sintering by up to 50% compared to conventional binder jetting, enabling larger parts, improved tolerances, and increased productivity while eliminating porosity and slow production speeds.

How They Differentiate

3x faster build speed than conventional binder jetting systems with 50% less shrinkage during sintering, enabling production of larger metal and ceramic parts with superior tolerances and surface finish compared to ExOne and HP Metal Jet systems.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Industrial manufacturers in automotive, aerospace, and medical sectors requiring high-precision metal and ceramic components

Industry Verticals

Automotive; Aerospace; Medical

Competitors

Digital Metal, Beamler

Growth & Milestones

Major Milestones

Founded in 2019 at University of Liverpool; Awarded Innovate UK SMART Grant in 2021; Acquired by Desktop Metal in 2021

Notable Customers

Stryker; Bentley; Safran; Ford; Renault Formula 1; Mercedes

https://meta-additive.com

Why this company matters

Meta Additive, acquired by Desktop Metal in 2021, addresses a core limitation of conventional binder jetting: excessive part shrinkage during sintering, which restricts part size, tolerances, and surface finish. Its proprietary hierarchical binder jetting process uses novel functional binders to reduce shrinkage by up to 50%, enabling production of larger metal and ceramic components with improved feature definition. The approach also claims 3x faster build speeds compared to standard binder jetting systems.

The technology targets industrial manufacturers in automotive, aerospace, and medical sectors that require high-precision components. Named customers include Stryker, Bentley, Safran, Ford, Renault Formula 1, and Mercedes. The binder IP, developed at the University of Liverpool and supported by an Innovate UK SMART Grant, is positioned as a defensible moat against competitors such as Digital Metal and Beamler, as well as larger systems from ExOne and HP Metal Jet.

Meta Additive's process eliminates porosity and slow production speeds while enabling tighter tolerances and larger part sizes than typical binder jetting. The company's hierarchical approach represents a shift from relying solely on powder characteristics to controlling the binder-powder interaction at a microstructural level. With Desktop Metal's distribution and manufacturing scale, Meta Additive's technology could broaden binder jetting's applicability in production environments where dimensional accuracy and throughput are critical.