Ultima Forma

What Ultima Forma does

Ultima Forma is a UK-based advanced manufacturing company, spun out from Queen Mary University of London in 2017 and headquartered with production operations in Bramley, Tadley. The company's core technology is electroforming — a precision metal manufacturing process that builds parts atom-by-atom via controlled electrodeposition using metals including nickel, copper, nickel-cobalt, iron, silver, and indium. This enables seamless, complex 3D geometries with micron-scale precision that are difficult or impossible to achieve with conventional subtractive or additive processes. The technology stack rests on patented processes for electroforming, hydrogen barriers, and metallic coatings, with a patent pending on twin-walled vacuum liquid hydrogen pipes. The firm's intellectual property extends beyond the core process into application-level know-how for functionally graded materials via a patented robotic multi-layering process, and net-shape HIP canister fabrication.

Ultima Forma's product portfolio targets the engineering demands of decarbonisation-heavy sectors: composite over-wound hydrogen storage vessels, vacuum-insulated liquid hydrogen pipes, leading edge protection for composite aerostructures (LEEF), net-shape HIP canisters, and flexible electroformed waveguides for satellite RF systems. Layered over this physical-technology base is Ultim8, an agentic AI design tool that autonomously generates and evaluates thousands of materials and manufacturing combinations against weighted engineering requirements, accelerating design cycles for customers and internal R&D. The company serves customers across aerospace, space, defence, energy, and transport — with named engagements including Bristol Airport, ZeroAvia, and Airbus for hydrogen propulsion infrastructure — typically collaborating under NDAs from feasibility through to volume production.

The business model is B2B enterprise sales composed of four revenue streams: Contract R&D services under NDA, design and consulting services including CAE modelling, manufacturing at scale delivered through automated production lines (Robotic Linear, AMELE High Rate, Reel-to-Reel), and technology licensing of patented processes. Pricing is quote-based per engagement, reflecting the custom engineering nature of the work. Operations are certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 with AS9100 aerospace certification in progress. The go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales with event-driven presence at sector conferences and channel partnerships with the Aerospace Technology Institute and Queen Mary University of London.

Name

Ultima Forma

Legal name

Ultima Forma

Website

https://ultima-forma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ultima Forma is a UK advanced manufacturing company specialising in electroforming — building complex 3D metal components atom-by-atom via electrodeposition — and serving aerospace, space, defence, energy, and transport clients with hydrogen containment, leading edge protection, waveguides, and HIP canister products via Contract R&D, consulting, and scaled manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Metal Manufacturing

NAICS

Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing (33351), All Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (33299)

SIC

Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540)

akta.pro primary industry

Additive Manufacturing for Metals (Metal 3D Printers & Post-Processing) (IMAHADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

EDM & Electrochemical Machining (Wire/Sinker EDM, ECM) (IMAHADAF), Electroplating & Metal Finishing (Anodizing/Galvanizing/Passivation) (IMAIAKAE)

Keywords

• Precision electroforming services
• Hydrogen storage solutions
• Aerospace metal components
• Cryogenic pipe systems
• Leading edge protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Basingstoke

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Contract R&D Services: Confidential collaborative R&D with customers under strict NDAs, conducting desk research, developing new processes, and engineering products to meet specific performance and cost goals. Revenue generated through project-based engagements.
2. Design & Consulting Services: Design and CAE consulting services including design for electroforming, coatings and thin shell systems, thermomechanical and hydrogen modelling, and HIP can modelling.
3. Manufacturing at Scale: Scale manufacturing using automated electroforming lines including Robotic Linear Line, AMELE High Rate Line, and Reel-to-Reel capability. Revenue from component manufacturing, production services, and material processing.
4. Technology Licensing: The company has patented processes and applications with exploitation routes including manufacturing, licensing and partnerships.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ultima Forma provides precision electroforming-based manufacturing of complex multi-material metal components for advanced engineering sectors including aerospace, defence, space, energy, and transport. The company builds metal parts atom by atom using controlled electrodeposition, producing seamless geometries with micron-scale precision, and offers contract R&D, design consulting, and scalable manufacturing of hydrogen barriers, leading edge protection, waveguides, HIP canisters, thermal management systems, and hydrogen storage vessels. Manufacturing is delivered through automated production lines including Robotic Linear, AMELE High Rate, and Reel-to-Reel electroforming systems under ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards.

Product overview

Ultima Forma develops breakthrough platform technologies centered on electroforming, a precision metal manufacturing process that builds parts atom by atom using controlled electrodeposition. The core offering consists of the Ultim8 AI design tool for generating deep engineering insights, combined with patented manufacturing processes for producing hydrogen barriers, leading edge protection, waveguides, and Net-Shape HIP canisters. The company serves aerospace, defence, space, energy, and transport sectors with products including composite over-wound hydrogen storage vessels, twin-walled vacuum liquid hydrogen pipes, flexible electroformed waveguides, and functionally graded materials. Manufacturing is delivered through scalable automated production lines including Robotic Linear, AMELE High Rate, and Reel-to-Reel systems, supported by Contract R&D, Design & Consulting, and Manufacturing at Scale services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ultim8: AI-powered digital design process tool that generates deep insights for engineering design using proprietary materials and manufacturing capabilities.

Products and services

• Composite Over-Wound Hydrogen Storage Vessels Composite over-wound hydrogen storage vessels incorporating continuous thin metal gas barriers, designed for aerospace and energy applications requiring lightweight hydrogen containment with high gravimetric efficiency.
• Twin-Walled Vacuum Liquid Hydrogen Pipes Patent-pending vacuum-insulated cryogenic pipe system for liquid hydrogen transfer with twin-walled insulation, integrated fittings, and expansion joints, delivering 2.8x lower heat leak than current market solutions with mass per unit length of 0.6 kg/m.
• Leading Edge Protection (LEEF) Electroformed nickel and nickel-cobalt leading-edge guards for composite propellers, aircraft wings, and wind turbine blades, up to 90% lighter than solid titanium with 10x better volumetric loss resistance from particle erosion.
• Net-Shape HIP Canisters Electroformed Hot Isostatic Pressing canisters built from nickel, copper, iron or nickel-cobalt, seamlessly shaped to match component geometry without welding for high-performance alloy manufacturing, dramatically cutting cost and lead time versus conventional sheet welding fabrication.
• Flexible Electroformed Waveguides Flexible electroformed waveguides combining rigid and flexible segments in a single seamless structure for satellite RF systems, with active projects in Ka-band and Q/V band range and in-flight testing with partners.
• Functional Coatings Metal coatings for thermal management, chemical protection, and erosion protection applications using expertise in copper, silver, and gold deposition.
• Thermal Management Systems Heat management solutions including heat pipes, heat exchangers, and heat sinks designed using copper engineered parts and engineered surface patterns for enhanced heat transfer or fluid interaction.
• Contract R&D Services Confidential collaborative R&D with customers under strict NDAs, conducting desk research, developing new processes, and engineering products to meet specific performance and cost goals, with revenue generated through project-based engagements.
• Design & Consulting Services Design and CAE consulting services including design for electroforming, coatings and thin shell systems, thermomechanical and hydrogen modelling, and HIP can modelling delivered to enterprise customers.
• Manufacturing at Scale Scale manufacturing using automated electroforming lines including Robotic Linear Line, AMELE High Rate Line, and Reel-to-Reel capability, delivering component manufacturing and production services with revenue from material processing under ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards.
• Ultim8 AI Design Tool AI-powered design process tool that uses agentic AI to autonomously explore thousands of materials and manufacturing processes, identifying combinations that best meet weighted engineering requirements through a closed loop of generation, evaluation, and refinement.

Quantifiable outcome

• 14% improvement in hydrogen storage efficiency over typical composite designs
• +10 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, foundational and major.

• Bristol AirportcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026Bristol Airport and Ultima Forma collaborated on a pioneering liquid hydrogen (LH2) refuelling project funded through Bristol Airport's Aviation Carbon Transition (ACT) Programme. The project delivered a first-of-its-kind technical report showing how an LH2 refuelling system tailored to Bristol Airport's operations could be built and operated, supporting emerging zero carbon emissions aircraft being developed by ZeroAvia and Airbus.
• Polar TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 September 2024LEEF (Leading Edge Electro Forms) project combining Ultima Forma's pioneering electroforming technology with Polar Technology's advanced composite manufacturing expertise. The collaboration delivers scalable, lightweight, and high-performance protection systems for composite components in aerospace applications, protecting from erosion, impact, and corrosion. Project partially funded by Innovate UK.
• The Manufacturing Technology CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking in partnership with HIP experts at The Manufacturing Technology Centre to validate capability for more complex HIP canister design whilst dramatically cutting the cost and lead-time associated with conventional sheet welding methods of fabrication.
• Element Digital EngineeringcoreTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration on Hydrogen Innovation Initiative (HII) for development of lightweight, electroformed liquid hydrogen pipes. Element Digital Engineering conducted rigorous testing of the vacuum-insulated cryogenic pipe system demonstrating exceptional vacuum integrity, reduced weight, and improved thermal efficiency.
• Queen Mary University of LondonfoundationalStrategic or Co-development PartnerQMUL is where Ultima Forma's original founding technology was developed. The company maintains a relationship with QMUL and exhibits at events as their guest, particularly at the Advanced Materials Show.
• Aerospace Technology InstitutemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerExhibiting at Sustainable Skies World Summit as guests of the Aerospace Technology Institute on their Innovators Showcase, sharing how materials science and advanced manufacturing is enabling the future of sustainable aviation.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Velo3D: US-based metal additive manufacturing company focused on producing complex, high-performance parts for aerospace, space, and defence customers. Both companies target the same end markets with novel metal-manufacturing platforms optimised for difficult geometries.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ultimaforma
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ultima-forma

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ultima Forma