GM Ventures, the investment arm of General Motors, has committed $10 million to Forge Nano, a company specializing in Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technology. Forge Nano’s ALD platform, branded as Atomic Armor, applies nanoscale coatings to enhance the performance of materials such as graphite, silicon, and nickel alloys, which are critical for battery efficiency. Beyond EV batteries, the technology finds use in sectors including semiconductors, magnetic components, and pharmaceuticals. This funding builds on Forge Nano’s $50 million Series C round in June 2023.
This investment represents GM’s second major move in additive manufacturing (AM) for EV batteries in 2024, following a $39 million Series B lead in Addionics announced in July. Anirvan Coomer, GM Ventures’ managing director, noted that GM is prioritizing technologies like Forge Nano’s ALD to scale up advanced materials, reduce costs, and enhance cathode functionality—currently the most expensive part of an EV battery. Forge Nano’s CEO, Paul Lichty, added that the funding will support efforts to improve material durability and extend ALD applications to areas such as semiconductor production.
GM’s investment reflects the automotive industry’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the Western EV supply chain. On the same day as the Forge Nano announcement, GM disclosed a $600 million joint venture with Lithium Americas Corp. As the transition to EVs accelerates, AM is emerging as an efficient solution for meeting the smaller, more flexible production needs of electric vehicles. This shift in manufacturing strategies highlights how AM technologies are becoming integral to the design and production processes of the EV industry.
Read more at 3dprint.com.