Additive Drives, a German manufacturer of 3D-printed electric motors, has secured over €25 million in funding to expand its energy-efficient motor technology globally. The financing round was led by Nordic Alpha Partners, which acquired a significant minority stake, alongside existing investor AM Ventures.
Founded in 2020 by Philipp Arnold, Axel Helm, and Dr. Jakob Jung, Additive Drives combines 3D printing with conventional manufacturing processes to produce electric motors without rare earth magnets. The company’s customer base includes Amazon, Airbus, Audi, Schaeffler, and BMW. According to company figures, their technology reaches up to 98% energy efficiency for industrial customers, reducing overall energy loss by 70%.
The funding positions Additive Drives among the larger recent European investments in electrification technology. Other notable 2025 rounds in the sector include Finland’s Donut Lab raising €25 million for modular electric motors and Dutch charging specialist Deftpower securing €12.5 million for its smart-charging platform.
“We have been cash-positive from early on and we were looking for an operational partner that could really enable us to tap into hypergrowth and expand globally even faster,” said Philipp Arnold, Chief Financial Officer at Additive Drives. The company states that electric motors account for approximately 53% of global electricity consumption, making efficiency improvements in this sector significant for overall energy usage.
Additive Drives’ magnet-free design addresses supply chain dependencies on rare earth materials, which are often sourced from geopolitically sensitive regions. Nordic Alpha Partners partner Nikolaj Magne Larsen noted the company’s financial performance, stating: “It is truly rare to see a founder team build something so pioneering and at the same time have such a strong financial performance less than five years after inception.”
Source: eu-startups.com
