Company Overview
About Forge Automation
Forge Automation is a Toronto, Ontario-based on-demand CNC machined parts manufacturer — backed by Y Combinator — delivering custom precision metal parts in 4 days or less through software-enabled automated factories that eliminate the weeks-long lead times of traditional machine shops. Founded in 2022 by co-founders Timothy Seto (CEO, University of Waterloo, former Apple/Formlabs/iRobot intern with 10+ years machining experience) and Walter Raftus (CTO, AI and Mechatronics Engineering at Waterloo, former NVIDIA/Trexo Robotics/Intel intern), who met at the Canada Wide Science Fair and launched the company immediately after graduation. Forge's proprietary Foundry software automatically generates machine-ready toolpaths from engineer-uploaded CAD models with manufacturing intent, bypassing traditional technical drawing workflows. Forge has shipped thousands of parts to engineers across North America, serving Fortune 10 companies to early-stage hardware startups. Two service tiers: Forge On-Demand (order custom parts through the online platform) and Forge Reserve Machines (dedicated CNC mills with maintenance and machinists for companies needing guaranteed 4-day SLA production capacity).
Business Model & Competitive Advantage
Forge Automation's automated CNC manufacturing addresses the prototype and low-volume production bottleneck that hardware engineers face between digital design and physical part: traditional machine shops (3-5 operators, manual programming, job queue management) deliver custom CNC parts in 2-6 weeks with price quotes requiring 2-5 business days — a lead time that kills the rapid iteration cycles modern product development requires. Engineers at startups and Fortune 500 companies designing new hardware (robotics, medical devices, aerospace components, industrial equipment) need machined aluminum, steel, and titanium parts turned around in days, not weeks, to test designs before committing to production tooling. Forge's Foundry software (automatically generating CAM toolpaths from CAD models) eliminates the manual programming step that creates machine shop queue delays — enabling same-day quoting and next-day scheduling that traditional shops cannot match.
Competitive Landscape 2025–2026
In 2025, Forge Automation competes in the on-demand CNC machining, digital manufacturing, and rapid prototyping market with Xometry (NASDAQ: XMTR, manufacturing marketplace, $580M revenue), Protolabs (NYSE: PRLB, on-demand manufacturing, $540M revenue), and Fictiv (private, digital manufacturing, $335M raised) for hardware engineer adoption of fast-turnaround custom machined parts services. The YC backing provides the startup customer network introductions and investor credibility that hardware manufacturing companies need to build trust with engineering customers who are betting their prototype schedules on delivery reliability. Forge's dedicated factory model (building owned automated factories rather than brokering jobs to third-party machine shops like Xometry) creates tighter quality control and the operational SLA guarantees that customer-committed design review timelines require. The 2025 strategy focuses on scaling the Toronto factory capacity, developing the Foundry software to handle increasingly complex geometries, and expanding the Forge Reserve Machines model to enterprise hardware teams that want dedicated manufacturing capacity without building internal machine shops.
The Forge Automation Story
Founders
Company Timeline
Major milestones in Forge Automation's journey
Leadership Team
Meet the leaders behind Forge Automation
Timothy Seto
Timothy Seto co-founded Forge Automation immediately after graduating from the University of Waterloo Engineering in summer 2022. With over 10 years of machining experience, he interned at Apple, Formlabs, and iRobot, where he built robots and machines while developing deep expertise in precision manufacturing. Timothy leads Forge's operations and customer development, leveraging his unique combination of hands-on machining skills and product engineering experience.
Walter Raftus
Walter Raftus serves as CTO and co-founded Forge Automation after graduating from the University of Waterloo with a degree in AI and Mechatronics Engineering in summer 2022. He interned at Nvidia, Trexo Robotics (YC W19), and Intel PSG, working on diverse software projects including system software, deep learning, and embedded control. Walter built Foundry, Forge's proprietary toolpath generation software, and leads all technology development including automation, machine learning, and manufacturing systems.
Key Differentiators
Emerging Innovator
Forge Automation is an emerging player bringing innovative solutions to the Robotics market.
Frequently Asked Questions
Estimated Visibility Trend (Beta)
Simulated 8-week rolling score
Based on estimated brand signals. Historical tracking coming soon.
Similar Brands
S2
S2 is an AI-powered security platform focused on vulnerability discovery and attack surface management for enterprise security teams. The company's platform combines automated scanning, AI-powered ana
Siemens
Siemens is a German technology and industrial conglomerate founded in 1847 by Werner von Siemens, one of the oldest and most broadly diversified technology companies in the world. Today the company's
Emerson Electric
Emerson Electric is a leading global technology and software company focused on industrial automation, process control, and test and measurement solutions, founded in 1890 in Ferguson, Missouri and no
Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation is the world's largest company dedicated solely to industrial automation and digital transformation, founded in 1903 and headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company's missio
Honeywell
Honeywell International is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing conglomerate, founded in 1906 as Honeywell Heating Specialty Company and incorporated over decades of mergers—most sig
Freeport-McMoRan
Freeport-McMoRan Inc. is a Phoenix, Arizona-based mining company — publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: FCX) as an S&P 500 Materials component — operating copper, gold, and molybdenum
Compare Forge Automation with Competitors
Side-by-side AI visibility scores, platform breakdown, and market position.
Claim This Profile
Are you from Forge Automation? Claim your profile to see full AI mention excerpts, get weekly visibility change alerts, and optimize how AI systems describe your brand.
Claim Forge Automation Profile →Track AI Visibility in Real Time
Monitor how ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude mention Forge Automation vs competitors. Get alerts when AI recommendations shift.
Start Free Tracking →