Radify Metals Raises Nearly $3 Million in Pre-Seed Funding to Scale Plasma-Based Rare Earth Metal Production
Radify Metals, a Campbell, California-based deep-tech startup developing plasma-based metalmaking technology, has raised nearly $3 million in pre-seed funding to accelerate the commercialization of its novel process for producing rare earth metals. The company aims to strengthen domestic critical mineral supply chains by replacing conventional metallization methods with a cleaner, modular, and more efficient alternative that can produce rare earth metals at industrial scale.
The pre-seed financing was backed by Overture VC, Mana Ventures, Acequia Capital, and Founders, Inc.. The funding will enable Radify Metals to expand its engineering team, advance development of its proprietary plasma reactor technology, and increase production capacity as it moves toward commercial deployment.
Founded in 2026 by Zach Detweiler and Dan Bullard, Radify Metals is focused on solving one of the most significant bottlenecks in the Western critical minerals supply chain: the conversion of rare earth oxides into refined metals. While mining activity has increased outside China, much of the world’s metallization capacity remains concentrated there, creating strategic vulnerabilities for industries including defense, electric vehicles, renewable energy, robotics, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing.
The company’s proprietary technology uses hydrogen cold-plasma reduction to transform rare earth oxides into pure metals. Unlike conventional metallization methods that rely on extremely high temperatures and energy-intensive chemical processes, Radify’s approach operates at comparatively lower temperatures while producing water vapor as its primary byproduct. The company believes this process can significantly reduce both operating costs and environmental impact while improving scalability.
Radify’s modular reactor architecture is designed to be element-agnostic, allowing a single production platform to process multiple metals by adjusting operating parameters rather than constructing entirely new facilities for each material. The company says this flexibility will allow manufacturers to respond more quickly to changing market demand while reducing capital expenditures associated with traditional metal production infrastructure.
The startup plans to deploy modular plasma reactor systems close to mining operations and downstream manufacturing facilities, shortening transportation distances and improving supply chain resilience. By producing refined metals closer to customers, Radify aims to reduce dependence on overseas processing while supporting domestic manufacturing initiatives across North America and allied markets.
According to the company, its technology has applications across numerous industries that rely on high-performance permanent magnets and critical materials. These include electric vehicles, wind turbines, industrial automation, defense systems, consumer electronics, data centers, and aerospace technologies. Demand for rare earth metals continues to grow as governments and manufacturers invest in electrification, renewable energy infrastructure, and advanced defense capabilities.
The newly raised capital will support continued engineering development, reactor testing, and production scale-up. Radify is currently operating prototype systems while working toward larger-scale commercial production. The company expects to increase output significantly as it validates its technology and establishes relationships with industrial customers seeking secure domestic sources of refined rare earth metals.
Investor support reflects growing interest in technologies designed to strengthen critical mineral supply chains. Overture VC, Mana Ventures, Acequia Capital, and Founders, Inc. have each invested in companies developing advanced industrial technologies, manufacturing platforms, and deep-tech innovations. Their participation highlights increasing venture capital interest in hardware companies addressing strategic infrastructure and industrial resilience.
Radify’s leadership believes that the United States possesses abundant rare earth resources but lacks sufficient domestic metallization capacity to convert processed oxides into finished metals. By modernizing this stage of the production process, the company aims to rebuild an industrial capability that has gradually shifted overseas over several decades. Its technology is intended to offer manufacturers a cleaner, faster, and more adaptable approach to producing strategically important metals.
As governments and manufacturers continue seeking diversified sources of critical materials, companies developing innovative processing technologies have attracted increasing attention from investors. Rather than focusing solely on mining new resources, Radify is targeting one of the most technically challenging stages of the value chain by redesigning the metallization process itself.
With nearly $3 million in pre-seed financing from Overture VC, Mana Ventures, Acequia Capital, and Founders, Inc., Radify Metals is advancing its mission to modernize rare earth metal production through plasma-based technology. The company aims to build scalable domestic metallization infrastructure that can help strengthen supply chain resilience while supporting the growing global demand for critical minerals.
