Added Scientific Ltd, a spinout from the University of Nottingham’s Centre for Additive Manufacturing (CfAM), has received strategic investment from additive manufacturing experts Brent Stucker and David Leigh. The funding will accelerate the expansion and commercialization of the company’s product portfolio, focusing on its open 3D inkjet research platform, Jetforge.
Founded by Professors Richard Hague, Chris Tuck, and Ricky Wildman from the University of Nottingham’s Faculty of Engineering, Added Scientific provides research and materials development services for industrial and academic partners. The company’s management team draws from one of the most accomplished additive manufacturing research groups in Europe, supported by a staff of engineers and scientists specializing in material jetting, binder jetting, and photocurable 3D printing. Its contract R&D work enables vendors and end-users to refine materials, deposition systems, and process control parameters across different additive platforms.
Jetforge, currently in its beta phase, is an open, modular inkjet system designed to lower the barrier to entry for materials research and process development. The benchtop platform accommodates multiple printheads, configurable hardware, and software tools that allow complex printing strategies. Users can adapt the machine to specific fluid chemistries, advancing experimental work on polymers, ceramics, and functional materials. Added Scientific also plans to broaden its offering to include a range of printers tailored to different products, such as electronics or structural components.
Professor Hague, Director of CfAM and co-founder of Added Scientific, described the investment as a pivotal step in the company’s transition from a contract research organization to a full product provider. “We are delighted to receive this investment from Brent and David as we transition from a contract research organisation to providing a full product offering,” Hague said. “The Added Scientific team is extremely excited to collaborate with them as we expand our portfolio. This investment underscores the growing importance of AM in transforming industries, from aerospace to healthcare. The industry has grown at a steady compound annual rate of over 20% over the last few years, and that momentum is only set to continue as access to specialist technology increases.”
Industry expertise joins the board
Brent Stucker, currently Chief Engineer for North America at Nikon SLM Solutions and Chief Technology Strategist at Wohlers Associates, brings more than three decades of experience in commercial additive manufacturing. He co-founded 3DSIM, a simulation software company acquired by Ansys, and has been instrumental in developing industrial standards for metal 3D printing.
David Leigh, founder of Harvest Technologies, established one of the first certified AM service bureaus producing flight-qualified aerospace parts. Following Harvest’s acquisition by Stratasys, Leigh held senior leadership roles at 3D Systems and EOS, contributing to the global expansion of polymer and metal additive manufacturing technologies.
Both investors will join Added Scientific’s Board of Directors to provide strategic oversight and technical direction as the company prepares to commercialize Jetforge and expand its product range. Leigh said, “Lowering the barrier to entry for materials development is key to unlocking the next wave of innovation in additive manufacturing. By making advanced tools more accessible, Added Scientific is enabling a broader range of researchers and developers to contribute to the field.”
Stucker emphasized the importance of accelerating materials research. “The acceleration of materials development is one of the most important challenges our industry faces,” he said. “Added Scientific’s platform not only has the potential to address this head-on, but also to unlock new applications and drive meaningful progress in additive manufacturing.”
Academic foundation and industrial trajectory
Added Scientific’s foundation within CfAM ties it to one of Europe’s leading centers for additive manufacturing innovation. CfAM’s work in multi-material printing, functional photopolymer chemistry, and electronics integration has positioned it as a reference point for industrial collaboration in next-generation 3D printing. Building on this foundation, the spinout bridges laboratory research and commercial deployment, helping partners accelerate materials and process validation.
Global additive manufacturing has maintained an annual growth rate above 20%, with strong demand from aerospace, defense, healthcare, and automotive industries. Material qualification remains a major bottleneck, and modular research systems such as Jetforge could provide faster experimentation cycles, enabling laboratories and manufacturers to evaluate new materials and printing strategies more efficiently.
Added Scientific intends to use the new investment to advance Jetforge from beta testing to commercial availability. Plans include expanding compatible printhead options, integrating advanced control features, and refining process development tools. Future applications under evaluation include conductive inks, photocurable resins, and high-performance composites, supporting the company’s mission to make materials innovation in additive manufacturing more accessible and reproducible.
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Featured image shows Close-up of the Jetforge printhead assembly during a deposition test. Photo via Added Scientific.
