CloudNC

CloudNC is a technology company that develops software to automate and streamline precision manufacturing. Founded in London in 2015 by CEO Theo Saville and CTO Chris Emery, the company aims to make manufacturing more efficient and accessible.

Co-founder Theo Saville has a background in Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Warwick. His initial work in 3D printing research led him to recognize the disruptive potential of automating CNC machining to a similar degree as plastics 3D printing, which inspired the creation of CloudNC. Co-founder Chris Emery, who serves as Chief Scientist, holds a Master of Engineering in Computing from Imperial College London and has expertise in 3D graphics and high-performance computing. Emery began programming at age 12, sold shareware at 15, co-created an app acquired by Realmac Software, and worked as a software engineer at Google before co-founding CloudNC. Both Saville and Emery were recognized in the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Manufacturing & Industry in 2019.

CloudNC's business model combines a Software as a Service (SaaS) offering with its own high-spec manufacturing facility in Chelmsford, UK. The company's core product is CAM Assist, an AI-powered software that integrates as a plug-in with existing CAD/CAM packages like Autodesk Fusion and Siemens NX. CAM Assist automates the time-consuming process of CNC machine programming by generating machining strategies and toolpaths in minutes, a task that could otherwise take hours or days. This is designed to reduce programming time, address the skilled labor shortage, and increase factory throughput. The technology is used in CloudNC's own factory to produce complex components for industries such as aerospace, automotive, defense, and energy.

The company has raised a total of $72 million in funding over four rounds. A significant Series B round in June 2022 raised $45 million, led by Autodesk, with strategic participation from Lockheed Martin and British Patient Capital, alongside returning investors Atomico and Episode 1 Ventures. This capital is being used to further develop the SaaS product and expand the company's manufacturing capabilities.

Keywords: AI manufacturing, autonomous CNC machining, CAM automation software, precision manufacturing, CAM Assist, Theo Saville, Chris Emery, CNC programming, digital manufacturing, toolpath generation, factory automation, Industry 4.0, manufacturing technology, SaaS, venture capital, Autodesk, Lockheed Martin, aerospace components, automotive manufacturing, defense manufacturing, multi-axis machining.