Vision:
Changing how the world makes plastic parts.

Mission:
Standardize Fusion Molding as the plastic manufacturing method of choice. Empowering companies to reduce their dependence on injection molding tools by producing R&D and production parts at the same or better economics and throughput as injection molding.  

Leadership Team

Mike Kastua, MBA, PMP

Chief Executive Officer
​

​With 20 years of experience, Mike is an accomplished leader in product management, development, marketing and commercialization. ​

Charles Holwerk

Chief Commercialization Officer

Early involvement in Tesla and SpaceX. Experience with commercializing technical start-up companies. ​

Dr. Justin Nussbaum

Founder and
​Chief Technology Officer

​Developed and patented a new form of additive manufacturing called, Fusion Molding. Has worked with Dod and has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering.

Spencer Abbott

Director of R&D
​

Co-Developed Fusion Molding software and industrial machine. Masters of Mechanical Engineering from BYU.​

Caitlin Hoch-Nussbaum

Assistant General Counsel
​

Corporate and government contract law experience. ​​

Sponsors & Partners

We are building Ascend Manufacturing with the grateful assistance of the institutions below and would like to extended our deepest gratitude.

​Company History

Ascend Manufacturing: Pioneering Innovation in Additive Manufacturing
  • 2018: Ascend Manufacturing's journey began in a lab at the University of South Florida, where Justin Nussbaum had a vision of using large projector lasers to power bed 3D printing, going beyond traditional single-point lasers.
  • Innovations Crossroads Award: After graduating with his PhD, Justin's groundbreaking ideas were recognized as he won the Innovations Crossroads Award. This prestigious award was funded by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the US Department of Energy through the Advanced Manufacturing Office.
  • Relocating to Knoxville: Eager to turn his vision into reality, Justin moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, and officially founded Ascend Manufacturing.
  • Building the Team: The company's momentum continued to grow as Justin shared his passion for Ascend. Soon after, Spencer Abbott joined the team, bringing valuable expertise to the company's expansion and growth.
  • Development of Industrial Pilot Machine: With a dedicated team in place, Ascend embarked on the development of an industrial pilot machine, pushing the boundaries of additive manufacturing technology.
  • 2023 Milestone: In 2023, Ascend Manufacturing celebrated a major milestone as they successfully launched their first low-volume production machine. This marked a significant step towards realizing their vision of fast and cost-effective production of parts.
As Ascend Manufacturing continues to rise, their commitment to innovation, advanced technology, and efficient manufacturing remains unwavering.