Foundry Lab

High-Level Overview

Foundry Lab is a New Zealand-based technology company specializing in Digital Metal Casting (DMC), an innovative system that enables on-demand production of high-quality cast metal parts in hours rather than weeks or months.[1][3][4] It serves manufacturers in industries like automotive and power management (e.g., Eaton), solving pain points in prototyping, short-run production, and supply chain dependencies by combining 3D printing for molds with microwave furnace technology to drastically cut costs, lead times, and tooling expenses compared to traditional foundries or metal 3D printing.[3][5][6] The company has raised $8M in Series A funding (2021) led by Blackbird Ventures, plus seed from Founders Fund and Promus Ventures, fueling expansion including a U.S. demo center in California; growth momentum includes partnerships with global firms, orders at Formnext 2023, and an Evaluation Program for customers.[1][4][5]

Origin Story

Foundry Lab originated from unconventional experiments in 2017 when founders began melting metal in domestic microwaves, evolving from explorations of alternative casting methods in 2016.[4] Officially founded in 2019 by David Moodie (CEO) and a team of engineers, the idea emerged from identifying gaps in traditional casting's speed and flexibility, leading to the first Gen1 system build in 2020 and the inaugural successful part cast in 2021.[2][4] Pivotal early traction included pre-seed from WNT Ventures (2018), seed funding, and a landmark $8M Series A in 2021 from Blackbird, GD1, Founders Fund, and Promus Ventures, coinciding with emergence from stealth and proof-of-concept with top automotive manufacturers.[1][4] Key milestones: Formnext launch (2022), U.S. demo center opening (2023), and collaborations like Eaton for complex aluminum parts with steel inserts.[4][5]

Core Differentiators

• Digital Metal Casting Technology: Uses 3D printed sand molds and microwave furnaces to produce production-strength parts from CAD files in under 8 hours, enabling same-day turnaround impossible with traditional methods.[1][3][6]
• Cost and Speed Advantages: Reduces lead times from months to hours, eliminates expensive tooling, and cuts costs versus metal 3D printing or CNC for prototypes/short runs; ideal for on-site supply chain supercharging.[3][5]
• Material and Complexity Edge: Handles legacy materials like aluminum with inserts (e.g., stainless steel pins), bridging additive manufacturing agility with conventional casting reliability—unachievable in standard 3D printing.[5][6]
• Developer/Manufacturer Experience: "Press-of-a-button" simplicity for iteration, with Evaluation Programs and demo centers for hands-on testing; backed by strong investor network and team culture.[3][4][5]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Foundry Lab rides the additive manufacturing hybrid trend, merging 3D printing's precision with casting's scalability to address AM limitations in production metals and complex assemblies amid global supply chain disruptions.[5][6] Timing is ideal post-2021 funding boom and reshoring pushes, as manufacturers seek agile, localized production to counter delays from traditional foundries—exemplified by automotive proofs and Eaton's legacy part upgrades.[1][4][5] Market forces like rising demand for rapid prototyping in electrification/power sectors favor it, positioning Foundry Lab to influence the ecosystem by enabling "cast from the start" workflows, reducing 3D printing overuse for prototypes, and expanding DMC adoption via U.S. expansion and trade shows like Formnext.[3][4][6]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Foundry Lab is poised to scale DMC globally, with next steps likely including broader system sales, more enterprise pilots beyond Eaton/automotive, and Gen2 advancements for higher volumes.[4][5] Trends like supply chain resilience, AM-casting hybrids, and U.S. manufacturing revival will propel growth, potentially evolving its influence from niche innovator to standard tooling alternative as adoption hits critical mass. This on-demand casting revolution echoes the query's tech company essence—unlocking manufacturer control just as microwaves transformed domestic life.[1][3][4]