Fabric8Labs has secured $50 million in Series B funding. The round was led by NEA and Intel Capital, with participation from existing investors. The company specialises in electrochemical additive manufacturing for creating advanced parts, including chip-cooling plates for data centres.
The funding will support the expansion of Fabric8Labs’ manufacturing capacity and further development of its technology. The company aims to address increasing thermal management challenges in high-performance computing environments. Its process uses electrochemistry to deposit materials layer by layer, enabling the creation of complex geometries with high precision and material efficiency.
Founded in 2016, Fabric8Labs focuses on scaling its proprietary manufacturing method. This approach allows for the production of components difficult or impossible to create with traditional subtractive or fusion-based additive manufacturing techniques. The technology is designed for producing parts with intricate internal structures, crucial for efficient heat dissipation in demanding applications.
Data centres are a key target market for Fabric8Labs. As processors become more powerful and energy-dense, effective cooling solutions are essential to maintain performance and prevent hardware failure. The company’s chip-cooling plates are engineered to optimise fluid flow and heat transfer, improving the operational efficiency and lifespan of server hardware.
Intel Capital’s involvement suggests a strategic alignment with Intel’s broader efforts in semiconductor technology and data centre infrastructure. The investment from NEA, a venture capital firm focused on technology companies, underscores the perceived market potential of Fabric8Labs’ manufacturing approach.
The company’s electrochemical additive manufacturing process differs from common 3D printing methods. It involves using electrochemical reactions to precisely deposit metals and other materials onto a substrate, building up the desired part. This method offers advantages in material versatility, resolution, and the ability to create dense, complex structures without high temperatures or lasers.
Fabric8Labs has demonstrated the capability of its technology to produce components with resolutions down to 10 micrometres. This level of detail is critical for creating micro-channel heat sinks and other advanced thermal management solutions. The company operates from its facility in San Diego, California, and plans to use the funding to increase its production output to meet anticipated demand from the semiconductor and data centre industries.
The Series B funding round follows a period of commercialisation for Fabric8Labs. The company has been working with select partners to validate its technology in real-world applications, particularly within the demanding environments of high-performance computing and advanced electronics. This validation phase has reportedly yielded promising results, demonstrating significant improvements in thermal performance and component reliability compared to conventionally manufactured parts. The company has not yet disclosed specific pricing models, but indications suggest a focus on high-value, performance-critical components where the unique capabilities of their manufacturing process justify a premium. Availability is expected to ramp up significantly following the deployment of the new funding, with initial production scaling focused on meeting the needs of key strategic customers.
The implications for the enterprise sector are substantial. As the demand for more powerful and energy-efficient computing grows, so too does the need for advanced thermal management solutions. Fabric8Labs’ technology offers a potential pathway to overcome current limitations, enabling the development of next-generation processors and server architectures that would otherwise be constrained by heat dissipation challenges. The ability to create highly complex, optimised internal geometries at the micro-scale is particularly relevant for industries such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and high-frequency trading, where peak performance is paramount. Furthermore, the material efficiency of the electrochemical process could contribute to reduced waste and potentially lower material costs for certain applications, aligning with broader industry trends towards sustainability.
From a technical perspective, the electrochemical deposition process allows for a wide range of materials, including various metals and alloys, to be deposited with exceptional control over microstructure and composition. This opens up possibilities for custom material properties tailored to specific thermal and mechanical requirements. The absence of high-temperature melting or fusion processes also means that heat-sensitive materials can be incorporated, expanding the design envelope for advanced components. The precision achievable, down to the 10-micrometre resolution, is crucial for creating the intricate micro-channels and complex internal structures necessary for highly efficient heat exchangers. This level of detail is often unattainable with traditional manufacturing methods, including even some forms of laser-based additive manufacturing, which can struggle with feature resolution and internal complexity.
While specific timelines for broader market availability beyond initial partner engagements are still being finalised, the company’s stated intention to expand manufacturing capacity suggests a clear roadmap towards wider adoption. Industry analysts anticipate that Fabric8Labs will likely target specific segments of the semiconductor and data centre markets initially, focusing on applications where the performance gains and reliability improvements offered by their technology provide a clear competitive advantage. The regulatory landscape for advanced manufacturing technologies is evolving, but Fabric8Labs’ focus on established materials and processes within an electrochemical framework is likely to present fewer hurdles than entirely novel material science innovations. The company’s commitment to scaling production indicates a confidence in the robustness and repeatability of its electrochemical additive manufacturing process for enterprise-grade applications.
