Mentioned:Impossible Objects$40M · Series B
Impossible Objects raised $40 million in Series B funding led by Inflection Equity to scale its Composite-Based Additive Manufacturing technology for aerospace and defense. The company's CBAM 25 system, deployed at U.S. Army Rock Island Arsenal, can produce as many as 10,000 drone bodies per month.
What's happening
- Impossible Objects closed a $40 million Series B led by Inflection Equity with participation from Aaron Wealth Management, OCA Ventures, Impact Capital and Excell Partners.
- The CBAM 25 system prints 25 layers per minute, approximately 15 times faster than competing additive manufacturing systems, with composite strength up to 200 MPa.
- Five customers have ordered CBAM 25 systems since launch in early 2025, including U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army Rock Island Arsenal, National Institute for Aviation Research and Oregon Manufacturing Innovation Center.
- The company has secured $20 million in U.S. government contracts and Small Business Innovation Research Phase I and Phase II awards.
Why it matters
- High-speed composite printing eliminates tooling costs and accelerates production of critical defense platforms including drone bodies, aircraft structures and counter-drone systems.
- Rock Island Arsenal deployment demonstrates production capacity at 10,000 units monthly, addressing distributed manufacturing and supply chain resilience needs across defense programs.
- CBAM technology is included in the U.S. Air Force Technology Roadmap and addresses shortage of flexible, tool-less manufacturing for lightweight composite structures in aerospace and defense.
- Advanced composite strength comparable to traditionally manufactured parts reduces performance penalties for additive alternatives, enabling broader substitution in production workflows.
Going deeper
- SBIR awards fund development of integrated wiring in printed parts, high-strength long-range drones and lightweight aircraft wing and fuselage structures.
- Company operates production facilities in Northbrook, Illinois and Rochester, New York, with integration at Air Force Research Laboratory and Army Arsenal sites.
- Technology eliminates shrinkage and warpage typical of competing additive processes, reducing post-processing and rework for defense parts with tight tolerances.
Financial impact
- Series B capital will fund production scaling of CBAM 25 systems and expansion of service and commercial organization as installed base grows; timing not disclosed.
- Five system orders provide near-term revenue recognition beginning early 2025 with customer deployments across government and commercial segments.
- U.S. government contract value of $20 million will be recognized over performance period for SBIR and other federal awards; specific timing not disclosed.
- For a private company, the $40 million raise extends cash runway and reduces equity dilution compared to alternative funding while supporting working capital for production scaling.
The intrigue
- Demand from five customers within nine months of CBAM 25 launch suggests market adoption outpacing production capacity, creating a supply-demand tension the Series B aims to resolve.
- Technology roadmap inclusion in Air Force planning and Army Arsenal deployment suggest potential for rapid scaling into existing defense procurement, but commercialization timelines for major programs remain unclear.
The fine print
- The $20 million in government contracts represents awards secured; obligated funding amounts and cash drawdown schedules are not disclosed.
- SBIR Phase II awards support development activities, not production; translation to production contracts and volume orders is contingent on technical milestone completion.
- Series B terms including post-money valuation, liquidation preferences and investor board representation are not disclosed.
Source: Pulse 2.0 · Sep 11, 2026 · Drafted with Claude, reviewed by Industrial Base Alpha.