Forge Nano, Inc.

Forge Nano, Inc., a Colorado-based nanotechnology manufacturer headquartered in Thornton, operates as a prime contractor (67% of recent awards) and subcontractor on federal research and development contracts and grants focused on atomic layer deposition (ALD) technology, advanced surface engineering, and precision nano-coating solutions for energy storage, defense, and advanced materials applications. Forge Nano is a for-profit corporation without SBA set-aside certifications; it competes on full-and-open solicitations, with recent prime work designated under Total Small Business set-asides where applicable.

Forge Nano's capability portfolio centers on ALD-enabled battery development, cathode material coating, electrochemical systems, and precision equipment manufacturing. Representative prime work includes a $203,918 STTR Phase I contract awarded by the Army Research, Development and Engineering Command in March 2025 for development of silicon-based, fast-charging lithium-ion cells using ALD technology, completion targeted for December 2025; a $180,000 SBIR Phase I contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory awarded August 2024 (contract SF241-0018) for evaluation and selection of coating materials to improve lithium-ion battery cathode electrical performance; and a $528,450 firm fixed-price purchase order from the Office of Naval Research awarded September 2022 for delivery of a fluidized-bed particle ALD system and accessories to the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. for nanomaterials research. In its grant-recipient role, Forge Nano received a $749,353 Cooperative Agreement from the Army Materiel Command Research Development and Engineering Command in July 2026 (CFDA 12.431, five-year performance through July 2031) for accelerated development of 18650 lithium-ion batteries with high-temperature performance, performed in Denver.

Customer concentration tracks heavily toward energy and defense R&D agencies. The Department of Energy leads by award count (6 awards), followed by the Department of the Army Materiel Command Research Development and Engineering Command (4 awards, $204 thousand combined potential value) and the Department of the Navy Office of Naval Research (2 awards, $678 thousand combined potential value), together accounting for 86% of recent awards. By potential value, however, the Navy's contribution is higher due to the $528,450 ALD equipment sale. As a subcontractor, Forge Nano performs battery and materials research under grants anchored by the Regents of the University of Michigan (two awards for aerogel infiltration support and ALD process consulting on concentrated solar power tile manufacturing), Columbia University (high-capacity electrolyzer membrane fabrication using fast ALD on porous substrates), and Mott Corp (porous transport layer design for proton-exchange-membrane electrolyzers). Forge Nano also subs to Honeywell Federal Manufacturing & Technologies on contract DE-NA0002839 for National Security Campus management and operations.

Activity has accelerated in recent years — one award each in 2021 and 2022, jumping to four in 2024 and five in 2025 — indicating growing traction in small-business R&D set-asides. The source data span from June 2010 to July 2026; however, combined obligated dollars across all awards total $14 million, substantially exceeding the combined potential value of $1.2 million listed in the source, suggesting a discrepancy between ceiling values and actual invoiced work. Forge Nano maintains a named subsidiary, Forge Battery, Inc., a for-profit manufacturer focused on battery product development and commercialization of ALD-enabled energy storage solutions.

Forge Nano can enable Lithium Ion batteries to charge twice as fast, last twice as long, and be half as likely to catch on fire through the application of ALD coatings to battery materials. Forge Nano offers the only proven high throughput Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) production tool, providing significant cost and materials savings in exchange for increased performance in Lithium Ion Batteries, anticipated to be a $77.42 Billion dollar market by 2025. Forge Nano's tool significantly reduces labor and capital costs, minimizes waste and scales the application of ALD coatings to consumer manufacturing requirements. ALD coatings can also be applied to many consumer industries, including cosmetics, other energy solutions such as fuel cells, and Advanced Ceramics.