Huddersfield-based advanced manufacturing specialist Holdson has raised €1.7 million to expand its patented electroform process and supply business across the aerospace, defence, automotive and nuclear fusion industries.
The round was led by the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II) managed by Praetura Ventures (soon to be PXN Group, subject to FCA approval), which raised €571k of the €1.7 million, alongside Oval Investments, Hamilton Capital Partners and Sands Capital.
Aaron Holt, CEO of Holdson, said: “The additive and related industries have reached a point where the conversation has shifted from ‘how do we make this?’ to ‘how do we make it better?’. Customers want stronger, more efficient, more reliable components, produced in greater volumes and with ever more complex designs. electroform delivers those gains while staying competitive on cost, and that’s why we’re seeing such strong adoption from OEMs.”
Holdson’s raise places it among a rising wave of European DeepTech and industrial scale-ups in 2025, where investors continue to back companies developing enabling tools and processes for advanced manufacturing.
For example, UK firms Atomik AM (in materials/manufacturing services) and PhysicsX (AI for engineering) also attracted funding this year. The scale of investments spans from Seed-stage rounds of several hundred thousand euros (e.g. CloEE’s €520k) up to large scale bets like fellow Brit PhysicsX’s €117 million or Proxima Fusion’s €130 million, highlighting both the diversity and maturity gradient in the sector.
Holdson’s round, while modest relative to the largest DeepTech raises, appears to be well aligned with its stage and technical focus, and signals continued investor interest in industrial infrastructure technologies that underpin advanced manufacturing and post-processing innovation.
Launched in 2023, Holdson is the product of a collaboration between a team of engineers and entrepreneurs and Huddersfield-based engineering specialists Cummins Turbo Technologies. In just two years, Holdson has grown to a team of 18, with customers across the UK, Europe, the US and Asia.
Holdson specialises in electrochemical surface finishing. Its electroform technology provides a high-precision, acid-free polishing process designed to improve component performance, extend fatigue life, and enable the finishing of complex internal geometries.
Serving sectors including aerospace, defence, medical, and energy, Holdson’s equipment and services help manufacturers streamline post-processing, reduce manual intervention, and scale production of both additively manufactured and traditionally cast metal parts.
Laurence Tan, Investment Associate at Praetura Ventures, said:“The advanced manufacturing space is critical to a number of key industries, including the automotive, aerospace and defence sectors, where vital parts and components are growing more complex with each passing year. Holdson is an example of a thriving Northern company that’s making these innovations possible. The company has the talent and the technology to continue scaling globally, and we’re pleased to be backing the team on their journey with NPIF II funding to supercharge their growth.”
Electroform is an electromechanical finishing process that reportedly enhances the performance of metal parts, including cast and 3D printed components, by refining their surfaces and removing imperfections.
The technology is helping manufacturers design for post-processing, which is an essential stage after the initial manufacturing process. This results in better quality parts, fewer process bottlenecks and more scalable operations.
Holdson will also use the funding round to scale the production of the various electroform™ post-processing devices and machines in its product portfolio, which are attracting growing interest for the gains they provide in the efficiency, precision and durability of parts.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/09/british-advanced-manufacturing-startup-holdson-secures-e1-7-million-to-scale-electroform-surface-finishing-technology/
