CloudNC, a United Kingdom-headquartered manufacturing software startup, announced on Wednesday that it has closed a $20 million Series B extension round. The investment lifts the company’s cumulative fundraising to $128 million, according to co-founder and CEO Theo Saville. This marks the firm’s first significant capital raise in four years.
Founded in 2015 by Saville and Chris Emery, who now serves as chief science officer, CloudNC develops AI-driven solutions for Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machining. CNC technology utilizes computer-controlled machinery to precisely cut or shape materials into components essential for the automotive, defense, and consumer hardware sectors.
Saville explained that prior to any physical machining, programmers must determine critical parameters such as tool selection, part fixation, and cutting strategies. While traditional Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) software aids in this ideation phase, it often requires manual input from skilled operators to generate a viable execution plan.
The company’s flagship product, CAM Assist, integrates with established CAM platforms like Autodesk Fusion and Mastercam. It automates the initial strategic planning by selecting appropriate tools, approach directions, feeds, and speeds, then drafting the necessary machine code. Saville emphasized that the software is designed to augment, not replace, expert judgment. By handling repetitive setup tasks, it allows human programmers to focus on reviewing, refining, and approving the manufacturing approach.
Currently, more than 1,000 machine shops globally utilize CAM Assist, with approximately 80% of CloudNC’s customer base located in the United States. The firm, which employs 80 people, aims to use the new capital to accelerate adoption, strengthen its go-to-market strategy, and expand into emerging markets.
Investors in the latest round include Nimble Ventures, which led the funding, alongside Calculus Venture Capital, Entrepreneur First, LM Capital, and Lockheed Martin’s venture arm.
CloudNC is also preparing to launch a new product called Quote Agent, scheduled for release next month. Targeting manufacturers, this tool applies similar automation principles to help shops quickly estimate the cost and risk of prospective projects, enabling faster decisions on accepting or rejecting work. Saville linked this need to broader geopolitical trends, noting that reshoring efforts in the U.S. coincide with a shortage of skilled manufacturing labor.
“Machine shops need to quote faster, program faster, and deliver more with the people and machines they already have,” Saville said. He added that the complexity of machining a single part offers more possibilities than there are atoms in the universe, underscoring the value of the firm’s long-term focus on solving these workflow bottlenecks.
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