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• Funding round led by RockCreek and Ascent Funds to advance energy independence and national competitiveness

• Capital investment into Forge Nano now exceeds $140M; RockCreek joins GM, VW, LG and Hanwha as shareholders

DENVER, April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Forge Nano, Inc., a technology company pioneering domestic battery and semiconductor innovations, today announced the successful close of $40 million in new funding. The funding was co-led by RockCreek, a global investment firm managing over $15 billion in assets with a strong focus on energy innovation, critical supply chains and advanced manufacturing, and Ascent Funds, a US based global energy technology fund. Additional participants include Top Material (KRX: 360070), Orion Infrastructure Capital and Forge Nano’s existing investors.

With this latest raise, Forge Nano’s total capital investment now exceeds $140 million, adding RockCreek to a shareholder roster that includes GM Ventures (NYSE: GM), Volkswagen (OTC: VWAGY), LG Technology Ventures (KRX: 003550), Hanwha (KRX: 000880), Mitsui Kinzoku (OTC: MMSMY), Sumitomo Corporation of Americas (OTC: SSUMF), Air Liquide (OTC: AIQUY), Catalus Capital and SBI Investment (OTC: SBHGF).

“RockCreek’s commitment to American manufacturing, energy security and global technology leadership makes them an ideal partner as we continue to scale,” said Paul Lichty, CEO of Forge Nano. “This capital allows us to build on our momentum in two crucial industries needed for U.S. manufacturing leadership – lithium-ion batteries and semiconductors. We look forward to expanding our domestic workforce as we scale our production capabilities and grow our customer base.”

Forge Nano operates two high-growth business units that can directly impact the United States’ advanced manufacturing competitiveness:

1. U.S.-Made, High-Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries:
   Forge Battery, the commercial lithium-ion battery production subsidiary of Forge Nano, designs and manufactures lithium-ion cells with industry-leading energy density that incorporate critical minerals coated using Forge Nano’s Atomic Armor™ technology. Manufactured using a predominately U.S. material supply chain, the company’s battery products are tailored to provide a secure supply chain and industry leading performance for defense, aerospace and specialty applications. In January 2025, Forge Battery was awarded $100 million by the U.S. Department of Energy to expand domestic cell manufacturing at its North Carolina facility.

2. Advanced Semiconductor ALD Capital Equipment:
   Forge Nano’s TEPHRA™ platform, launched in mid-2024, is the world’s fastest single-wafer semiconductor ALD coating tool with commercial throughput for 200mm wafers. TEPHRA™ produces cutting-edge nano-coatings that can unlock chips with 40% faster processing speeds with 50% reduced power consumption, addressing the industry’s growing demand for next-gen devices, sensors, and edge AI computing. The company’s atomic layer deposition (ALD) tools are engineered and built in the U.S., bolstering America’s domestic semiconductor capabilities.