We engineer new metals to make better parts.
Engineering alloys are the hidden enabler of modern industry, and they haven’t fundamentally changed since before the Space Race. Foundation Alloy is changing that.
Our process began as solid-state metallurgy research at MIT and UC Irvine, and we’ve taken it into production: delivering faster development, domestic supply, and properties conventional methods can’t reach.
This isn’t a future state. We’re shipping to customers across automotive, defense, and consumer sectors today, and expanding to cover the rest of the metals on the periodic table in the months and years ahead.
The team traces its roots to MIT and brings deep expertise from ATI, Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman, the U.S. Navy, and more.
Jake leads company strategy, operations, financing, and commercialization at Foundation Alloy. Prior to co-founding the company, he held strategy and operations roles at Lightmatter, Blue Origin, and SpaceX, where he worked on manufacturing scale-up, procurement, and business operations for advanced technology programs. Jake holds a BA in Economics and Philosophy from Colgate University and an MBA from MIT.
Erin leads manufacturing, operations, and product industrialization at Foundation Alloy. Prior to joining the company, he spent 18 years at ATI leading development and commercialization programs for advanced titanium and nickel-based alloys serving major aerospace customers. Erin holds a BSE from Case Western Reserve University and a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from Northwestern University.
Herb leads commercial strategy, business development, and customer growth at Foundation Alloy. He brings more than 15 years of experience spanning engineering, consulting, and commercial leadership. Prior to Foundation Alloy, Herb led growth initiatives at Formlabs and advised industrial and technology companies at Deloitte Consulting. He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University, an MS in Engineering from UCLA, and an MBA from Duke University.
Nihan leads product development at Foundation Alloy, translating customer requirements into new alloy solutions and commercialization programs. She brings more than 20 years of experience in metallurgy, powder metallurgy, and advanced alloy development. Prior to Foundation Alloy, she spent over seven years at Desktop Metal developing metal printing systems and qualifying advanced alloy platforms. Nihan holds a BS in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from Middle East Technical University and a PhD in Materials Science from Anadolu University.
Steph leads business operations at Foundation Alloy, overseeing people operations, facilities, HR/Talent, finance, internal systems, and cross-functional execution. She brings more than 15 years of experience building teams and operational infrastructure across high-growth organizations. Prior to Foundation Alloy, Steph held business operations leadership roles at HqO and worked in recruiting and organizational operations at Chewy and Wayfair. She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Chris developed one of the core technologies underlying Foundation Alloy, and today provides scientific guidance on alloy design and advanced manufacturing technologies. He is Dean of Engineering at Northwestern University and previously spent more than two decades on the faculty at MIT, including serving as Head of Materials Science and Engineering. Chris has also co-founded multiple materials companies, including Desktop Metal and Xtalic. He holds a BS from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a PhD from Northwestern University.
Tim developed one of the core technologies underlying Foundation Alloy, and today provides scientific leadership in advanced alloy development and materials for extreme environments. He is currently the Director of the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute at Johns Hopkins University, where his research focuses on nanostructured metals and materials capable of operating in demanding conditions. Tim holds BS and MS degrees from Johns Hopkins University and a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT.
