Post-processing accounts for 50% of the total time and cost of additive manufacturing and is a critical factor in determining part reliability. Refractory metals are a typical example—they have extremely high melting points, unstable melt pools, and poor fluidity, making traditional post-processing insufficient for defect elimination. Foundation Alloy, an MIT spin-off materials company, argues that instead of relying on post-processing to repair defects, the solution lies in materials design—developing alloys that are 'print-ready' or 'sintered-to-specification.' The company's patented MetalsFIRST™ solid-state metallurgy process enables parts to achieve over 98% density, full isotropy, and controllable microstructure in the as-sintered state, eliminating the need for hot isostatic pressing or heat treatment for densification. Its flagship product, Molyclast™ MC700 molybdenum alloy, directly achieves isotropic properties without requiring hydrogen or high-vacuum steps, offering a new solution to replace rapidly degrading conventional alloys in extreme environments such as aircraft engine hot-section components and the nuclear industry.