CloudNC has raised $20 million in new funding as it looks to expand its AI-powered precision machining technology across global manufacturing supply chains.
The investment will help the company scale its software, expand technical support, and strengthen partnerships in international markets.
The funding round was led by US venture investor Nimble Ventures, with participation from Calculus Venture Capital, Entrepreneur First, and LM Ventures, the venture capital arm of Lockheed Martin.
CloudNC was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in London, with an active production facility in Chelmsford. The company has previously received backing from Atomico and Episode 1 Ventures and established strategic partnerships with Autodesk and Lockheed Martin.
Automating CNC Programming
Precision manufacturers face constant pressure to produce complex components quickly while maintaining extremely tight engineering tolerances.
CloudNC’s main software product, CAM Assist, is designed to automate much of the computer numerical control programming process.
The software can generate machining strategies and toolpaths from computer-aided manufacturing models, reducing the time required to move a component from its digital design into physical production.
By automating part of the programming process, machinists can spend less time preparing jobs and more time producing components.
Expanding Across Machine Shops
CloudNC says CAM Assist is now being used by more than 1,000 machine shops worldwide, including several hundred facilities in the United States.
Among its confirmed commercial customers are Lockheed Martin and Major Tool and Machine.
The technology is aimed at helping manufacturers increase output without necessarily requiring additional machines or significantly expanding their workforce.
For machine shops dealing with growing demand and limited skilled labor, reducing the time required to program CNC equipment could provide a significant productivity advantage.
AI Moves Into Manufacturing Quotes
CloudNC is also expanding beyond machining automation with a new product called Quote Agent.
The AI-powered estimating tool is designed to address another time-consuming part of the manufacturing process: preparing customer quotations.
When a machine shop receives a new project, employees often need to review technical drawings, estimate machining times, calculate costs, and determine an appropriate price.
Much of this work remains manual, which can slow down responses to customers and potentially result in inaccurate estimates or reduced profit margins.
Quote Agent is designed to automate the early stages of this process. By analyzing incoming work and helping calculate costs, the system can allow manufacturers to produce quotes more quickly while making their estimates more consistent.
Keeping Experts in Control
CloudNC says the goal is not to remove human expertise from the manufacturing process.
Instead, its AI tools are designed to help machinists and manufacturing teams handle repetitive tasks more efficiently while leaving important decisions to experienced professionals.
CAM Assist focuses on getting components ready for machining faster, while Quote Agent is intended to help manufacturers evaluate potential jobs and respond to customers more efficiently.
This combination could allow machine shops to process more opportunities without proportionally increasing administrative workloads.
Preparing for Government and Defense Work
CloudNC is also working with Knox Systems to pursue FedRAMP authorization for CAM Assist.
The certification process is intended to prepare the software for potential use by US government agencies, defense contractors, and aerospace manufacturers that operate under strict federal data requirements.
If authorization is granted, regulated manufacturers could use automated CNC toolpath generation for production workloads where data security and compliance are critical.
Expanding AI Across the Manufacturing Chain
CloudNC’s approach highlights how AI is moving deeper into industrial operations.
Rather than focusing solely on generative AI for office-based tasks, the company is applying machine learning and automation to the processes that physically produce components.
Automating CNC programming and quoting could help manufacturers shorten production cycles, respond to customers faster, and make better use of existing equipment and skilled workers.
With new funding and a growing customer base, CloudNC is positioning its software as part of a broader effort to make precision manufacturing faster and more scalable.
