CloudNC Raises $20M to Scale AI-Powered CNC Manufacturing Software

London-based manufacturing technology company CloudNC has raised $20 million in new funding to expand its AI-powered CNC manufacturing platform and accelerate the adoption of automation across machine shops.

The round was led by U.S. investor Nimble Ventures, with participation from Calculus Venture Capital, Entrepreneur First and LM Ventures, the investment arm associated with Lockheed Martin.

The latest financing takes CloudNC's total funding beyond $95 million, according to the company.

From CNC programming to AI automation

CloudNC was founded in London in 2015 by Theo Saville and Chris Emery after the founders identified a major gap between digital manufacturing software and the highly manual processes still required to operate CNC machines.

Its flagship product, CAM Assist, integrates directly with major computer-aided manufacturing platforms including Autodesk Fusion, Mastercam and Siemens NX.

The software uses AI to generate milling strategies and toolpaths in seconds rather than the hours traditionally required for manual programming.

CloudNC says CAM Assist is now deployed in more than 1,000 machine shops worldwide, including hundreds across the United States.

Its customers include major industrial and defence companies such as Lockheed Martin and Major Tool & Machine.

Tackling another manufacturing bottleneck

CloudNC is now expanding beyond CNC programming with a new product called Quote Agent.

Expected later in 2026, the AI tool will automate the quoting and estimating process for machining jobs.

Quoting is a critical but often overlooked part of the manufacturing workflow. Shops need to analyse technical requirements, estimate machining time and costs, and respond quickly enough to win business while maintaining healthy margins.

CloudNC believes AI can reduce the manual work involved in this process while helping manufacturers respond faster to incoming opportunities.

Lockheed Martin as both customer and investor

One of the most notable aspects of CloudNC's growth is its relationship with Lockheed Martin.

Lockheed Martin is both a customer and an investor through LM Ventures, having previously participated in CloudNC's $45 million Series B in 2022.

The relationship could become even more important as CloudNC targets highly regulated manufacturing environments.

The company is working with Knox Systems toward FedRAMP certification for CAM Assist. Certification would help CloudNC sell its software directly to U.S. government agencies and support sensitive defence manufacturing workloads.

Expanding AI across the factory

CloudNC is competing with a growing group of companies applying AI to industrial manufacturing.

Paperless Parts is targeting manufacturing quoting and estimating, while companies such as Limitless Labs and Manukai are developing AI-powered approaches to CNC programming and machining efficiency.

CloudNC's major advantage is the scale of its existing deployment footprint. More than 1,000 machine shops are already using CAM Assist, giving the company a significant installed base from which to introduce additional AI capabilities.

The broader CNC programming software market is estimated at approximately $823 million and is projected to reach $1.16 billion by 2034.

Funding the next phase

CloudNC plans to use the new $20 million to enter additional markets and accelerate product development, including the launch of Quote Agent.

The company has raised more than $95 million since its founding, including a £9 million Series A led by Atomico in 2018 and a $45 million Series B backed by Autodesk, Lockheed Martin and British Patient Capital in 2022.

As manufacturers face pressure to increase productivity, reshore production and address skilled-labour shortages, CloudNC is betting that AI can automate some of the most time-consuming steps between a digital design and a finished physical component.

The next challenge is convincing manufacturers to trust AI with increasingly important decisions on the factory floor.