HardwareHuntsville, AL, USAFounded 2008· One of 1805 Hardware companies tracked by AMPulse
Develops programmable magnets (Polymagnets) using proprietary magnetizing technology to create complex magnetic fields, enabling precision-tailored magnetic systems for industrial and consumer applications.
CEO / Founder
Tim Costello
Team Size
1-10
Stage
Active
Total Funding
$11.89M
Latest Round
Venture Round
Key Investors
Javelin Venture Partners; Small Business Innovation Research Awards
Patented magnetizing process and software enable rapid prototyping and production of custom magnetic fields, protected by over 100 patents (e.g., US patents covering correlated magnetics technology).
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Reduces design and prototyping time for magnetic components from weeks to minutes, enabling rapid iteration and customization without traditional magnet manufacturing constraints.
How They Differentiate
Unlike conventional magnet manufacturers producing standard north-south poles, Polymagnet's technology enables software-designed magnetic fields with multiple regions for precise control, offering 3x holding force and rapid customization vs. traditional magnets.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Mechanical designers, engineers, and manufacturers needing custom magnetic solutions for applications requiring precise torque, alignment, or movement control.
Industry Verticals
Consumer Electronics; Medical Devices; Industrial Machinery; Aerospace; Automotive
Competitors
MWS Wire Industries; MAGicALL; National Magnetics Group
Growth & Milestones
Major Milestones
Founded in 2008; Achieved over 100 patents; Developed PMCAD Pro software suite; Launched production magnetizer MPS 6.2 capable of millions of units per year; Collaborated with NASA on high-temperature Polymagnets (2020-2022)
Notable Customers
US Navy (for frictionless gears research); NASA (for high-temperature magnet development)
Polymagnet occupies a niche at the intersection of magnetics and additive manufacturing, offering a proprietary process that 'prints' magnetic fields onto standard magnets. Instead of producing conventional north-south pole magnets, the company arranges magnetic pixels, or maxels, into coded patterns, creating multiple north-south regions on a single surface. This enables precise control over torque, alignment, and holding force, reducing design and prototyping time from weeks to minutes.
The company's core offering includes Polymagnets, PMCAD Pro design software, and a line of magnetizer systems such as the MagPrinter, ProtoPro, and MPS 6.2 production magnetizer. The MPS 6.2 is capable of producing millions of units per year, targeting high-volume manufacturing. Polymagnet's technology is protected by over 100 patents covering correlated magnetics technology, including coding approaches and manufacturing methods.
Target customers include mechanical designers and engineers in consumer electronics, medical devices, industrial machinery, aerospace, and automotive. Notable collaborations include work with the US Navy on frictionless gears and with NASA on high-temperature magnet development from 2020 to 2022. The company partners with Industrial Magnetics Incorporated, Amazing Magnets LLC, and AKM Semiconductor.
Polymagnet's competitive moat lies in its patented software-driven approach to magnetic field design, which differentiates it from conventional magnet manufacturers like MWS Wire Industries and National Magnetics Group. The technology claims up to 3x holding force versus traditional magnets. A key open question is whether the company can scale its production magnetizer adoption beyond niche prototyping into broader industrial deployment, given the entrenched supply chains of standard magnet manufacturing.