The described embodiments provide a method to increase the number of catalytic sites on the substrate surface. Such number may be measured by a loading factor normalized to surface area (mg/dm2). The described embodiments may provide for catalytically favorable sites by means of cluster size effects, crystallographic orientation effects, crystallinity effects, or other means. The described embodiments involve using chemical functionalization principle, targeting nitrogen functional groups, with the goal of providing continuous copper films with uniform thickness. FIG. 2 illustrates an example cross-sectional view of a substrate of a semiconductor device at different process stages, in accordance with some embodiments. The process of FIG. 2 may be a part of the semi-additive process (SAP), which may be used for substrate packaging or PCB manufacturing. In general, the process of FIG. 2 may be applicable to any other process that may require a transition metal catalyst (e.g., palladium or other transition metal) deposition onto an organic surface of a substance, e.g. organic substrate. Typically, transition metal (palladium) seeding and electroless copper deposition may be used in the buildup of the dielectric layers of a substrate. Layers may be deposited repeatedly, and the process may be repeated multiple times, depending on the total number of metallization layers.