Advanced composites are steadily redefining performance ceilings in aerospace and defense, and K3RX s latest 1.65 million funding round signals a decisive step in that direction. The deep-tech company is accelerating the industrialization of UHTCMC (Ultra High Temperature Ceramic Matrix Composites), ultra-refractory composite materials engineered to withstand temperatures up to 2,700 C while maintaining mechanical integrity, oxidation resistance, and reusability. Positioned as a next-generation alternative to reinforced carbon-carbon and high-temperature metals, these ceramic matrix composites are designed to operate where conventional materials reach their breaking point, reinforcing Europe s ambition to build a resilient, strategically independent advanced materials ecosystem.

The round is led by Deep Ocean Capital and RoboIT to accelerate the industrialization of UHTCMC, ultra-refractory composites for the aerospace and defense sectors.

The goal: to scale production, strengthen the European supply chain, and reduce the continent's strategic dependencies.

What are Ultra-Refractory Materials?

Ultra-refractory materials are designed to meet extreme temperatures, severe mechanical stress, and severe oxidative conditions. They are designed to maintain stability and performance where traditional metal alloys and composite materials are no longer sufficient.

K3RX develops components based on UHTCMC Ultra High Temperature Ceramics Matrix Composites , capable of operating at up to 2,700 C, while ensuring high mechanical strength, structural stability, durability, and the possibility of reuse.

Compared to solutions historically used in these fields, such as reinforced carbon-carbon or high-temperature metals like tungsten, UHTCMC offer overall superior performance in terms of resistance to ablation, oxidation, and mechanical stress at high temperatures.
The round, which also saw the participation of Pariter Robotics and Pariter Partners , is part of a broader strategy to strengthen Italian and European industrial autonomy in a technological field that combines security, competitiveness, and innovation capacity.

From Research to Factory

The goal of the operation is to support K3RX in the crucial transition to full industrial maturity . The funds raised will be used to develop a scalable and competitive production capacity, expand its target market, strengthen its international presence particularly in Europe and the United States, and strengthen its supply chain.
The growth plan also includes strengthening the team, with new hires in technical-engineering, production, and administration, as well as investments in equipment to internalize strategic production processes and increase industrial control.

For CDP Venture Capital, through RoboIT, K3RX represents an emblematic case of successful technology transfer . "Italy has a tradition of excellence in materials science that too often remains confined to laboratories," observes Claudia Pingue, head of the Tech Transfer Fund. "Here, we see cutting-edge academic expertise being transformed into internationally competitive industrial solutions."