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September 21, 2026
CEO Zachary Courtright and CTO Kranthi Balusu have been invited to speak at this year's International Conference on Additive Manufacturing (ICAM). Balusu presents "Digital Twin Driven Solid-State Metal Manufacturing for Space Infrastructure" on September 29, and Courtright presents "Maturation and Digital Twin Development for Large-Scale Solid-State Additive Manufacturing of Aerospace Structures" on October 1.
Week of September 15, 2026
LeapFast is running repeated Bobbin Friction Stir Deposition (B-FSD) trials, refining the deposition process and hitting results faster than before, all without melting the material.
Week of September 8, 2026
LeapFast hosted members of the Ohio House Majority Caucus alongside the Youngstown Innovation Hub, showcasing Friction Stir Welding and B-FSD capabilities as part of a broader tour of advanced manufacturing companies in the Mahoning Valley.
Week of September 1, 2026
LeapFast welcomed the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) for a tour of its Friction Stir Welding and B-FSD capabilities, highlighting solutions for defense and aerospace applications where leak tolerance and structural integrity are critical.
Week of August 25, 2026
LeapFast completed its first full Bobbin Friction Stir Deposition run on a newly integrated continuous feed mechanism, a milestone toward manufacturing large aluminum domes, rings, and cylinders that currently take 18+ months to produce. Built with partners MAGNET, Siris, Data Science Automation, and the Youngstown Innovation Hub / NCDMM.
Week of August 22, 2026
LeapFast's summer intern class wrapped up its program after joining the team in May.
March 19, 2026
The Youngstown Innovation Hub spotlighted LeapFast as a company already growing with its support. CEO Zach Courtright, a former NASA engineer, said the company secured $100,000 through a Hub intellectual-property proposal and relocated from Alabama to Youngstown to build near the region's manufacturing heritage. Read more at The Vindicator.
January 28, 2026
LeapFast was awarded a combined $75,000 from the YBI ENGINE Tech Incubator, the Youngstown Innovation Hub for Aerospace & Defense, and the YBI Rising Tides Initiative to open a development lab, expand contract manufacturing, and grow SBIR/STTR participation, with plans for up to six new local hires by the end of 2026. Read more at Youngstown Innovation Hub.
October 24, 2025
LeapFast won the $10,000 top prize from Medical Mutual at YBI's Shark Tank pitch competition, the same event where YBI unveiled its rebrand. CEO Zach Courtright noted that Bobbin Friction Stir Deposition can cut production time by as much as 98% compared with conventional manufacturing. Read more at The Business Journal.
October 23, 2025
LeapFast was named one of four regional startups selected to pitch at YBI's Shark Tank event, competing for a share of funding to grow advanced aluminum and metals manufacturing for aerospace and defense. Read more at WFMJ.
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