West Midlands based ‘Supermaterials’ startup targets US with launch of Silicon Valley office
A UK startup that has found a novel way to make advanced heat-resistant materials is targeting further expansion in the US with the launch of an office in Silicon Valley.
High Temperature Material Systems Composites (HTMS Composites) is working with automotive, aerospace and other manufacturers and exporting to Europe and Japan, less than a year after securing funding to help commercialise its technology.
The company raised £1.3m in September 2025 in a round led by South West Investment Fund and Midlands Engine Investment Fund II, through fund managers Maven Capital Partners and Mercia Ventures, alongside SFC Capital, DeepTech Labs and the US venture fund Plug and Play.
Since then, HTMS Composites has opened new headquarters in Leamington Spa and a 6,000 sq ft laboratory in Malmesbury, created five new jobs and run successful trials to demonstrate the use of its materials in components for electric vehicles.
The company is due to start exporting to the Middle East and the US in the coming months and is preparing for a Series A funding round in the year ahead. Ultimately, it aims to build a UK supply chain for high-performance materials and expects to create more than 40 new jobs over the next three years.
HTMS Composites specialises in Inorganic Matrix Composites (IMCs), which can withstand extreme temperatures but are lighter than metal. Until now, the cost of producing this type of material means IMCs have been used in very limited applications, such as on the underside of the Space Shuttle.
HTMS Composites was founded by Danilo Di Salvo and Richard Grainger, after they developed a way to reduce the energy, time and cost involved in producing IMCs while experimenting on a kitchen hob. Their technology could now make IMCs available for mass market applications such as electric battery casings, brake shims and exhaust parts.
Danilo Di Salvo, CEO and co-founder of HTMS Composites, said: “Engineers designing components for use in hot environments have until now been very restricted. Choosing materials with higher thermal performance increases the weight and the cost. Our materials remove these design constraints – giving them the freedom to create lightweight, affordable products that can also withstand high temperatures.
“Thermal composites are opening up new possibilities across multiple industries. The funding has enabled us to scale up production and start building a supply chain here in the UK. We look forward to growing our business and bringing the benefits of these materials to more industries in the future.”
Shubham Jaipuria, investor at Mercia Ventures, added: “Danilo and Richard have moved quickly, progressing from a kitchen hob experiment to serving a global customer base. Establishing a Silicon Valley office is the next step in building on the team’s efforts to reach customers worldwide, and we’re excited to work alongside the company as it turns those ambitions into reality.”
David Tindall, senior investment manager at the British Business Bank, said: “HTMS Composites is a great example of how joint investment from the Midlands Engine Investment Fund II and the South West Investment Fund can help ambitious businesses bring innovative technology to market and drive growth. Since our investment, the company has continued to develop its technology, strengthen its team and expand its international reach. We’re pleased to have supported HTMS Composites on its growth journey and look forward to seeing what comes next.”
The Midlands Engine Investment Fund II and the South West Investment Fund are among a suite of Nations and Regions Investment Funds launched by the British Business Bank across the UK. The British Business Bank is the Government’s economic development bank dedicated to helping UK small businesses survive, prosper and grow.
These funds provide equity investment up to £5m and debt finance from £25k to £2m to help a range of small and medium sized businesses based within those regions to start up, scale up or stay ahead”