3D printers for medicine: Kumovis wins two new investors
Munich, Germany — Kumovis, developer of the world’s first 3D printer with cleanroom integration, has successfully closed its Series A financing round of €3.6 million. With Renolit SE and Solvay Ventures, the Munich-based start-up has found two more partners to further pursue its path of establishing industrial additive manufacturing systems for processing high-performance polymers. High-Tech Gründerfonds and Ffilipa Venture Capital, the two investors who already supported Kumovis in the seed financing, also participated in the Series A. The co-founders of Kumovis are Stefan Leonhardt, Dr. Miriam Haerst, Alexander Henhammer, Sebastian Pammer, Stefan Fischer (photo from left to right).
The 3D printing systems developer is opening up new markets, accelerating growth and enabling medical device manufacturers to realize the full potential of high-performance polymers. “From the beginning, our goal has been to enable medtech companies and clinics alike to 3D print high-performance polymers to produce medical devices of virtually any type. The introduction of the Kumovis R1 3D printer in 2019 has taken additive manufacturing with medically approved polymers to a new level in terms of mechanical properties, aesthetics, reproducibility and usability,” Stefan Leonhardt, co-CEO and co-founder of Kumovis.
Kumovis aims to strengthen its business case and accelerate the company’s sustainable development through its partnerships with Renolit, a leader in polymer-based components for medical devices, and Solvay, a global leader in high-performance specialty polymers. “We will use the investment to enter new markets, further develop our technology and support the medical community in bringing 3D-printed medical devices to patients,” Stefan Leonhardt, co-CEO and co-founder of Kumovis.
Decentralization for shorter supply chains: Decentralized production capacities through the use of 3D printing technologies shorten supply chains — and as a result, they also reduce the time it takes for medical devices to reach patients. The flexibility of the Kumovis R1 system, which meets the requirements of medical manufacturing, is particularly advantageous for manufacturers dealing with small series and patient-adapted products. “By providing an open 3D printing system capable of processing a variety of thermoplastic polymers, we are enabling our customers not only to manufacture medical products on-demand, but also to 3D print directly at the point of care. Now we at Kumovis are looking forward to taking the next steps together with our new as well as proven partners,” Dr. Miriam Haerst, Co-CEO and co-founder of Kumovis.
The impressive team, as well as the product quality and performance characteristics, make us confident that Kumovis is ready to fundamentally change manufacturing in the demanding medical device industry. Kumovis and Solvay will work together to accelerate the shift to personalized medicine, expanding the scope of high-performance specialty polymers in healthcare. Together, we have the potential to do the same in other industries.
Stéphane Roussel, Managing Director of Solvay Ventures commented, “This investment is an important step for Renolit Healthcare to further its momentum towards healthcare innovation with partners and to strengthen its presence in the medical device space.
Thomas Sampers, head of Renolit Healthcare adds to further improve its R1 3D printer and grow the medical 3D printing ecosystem, Kumovis is continuously expanding its team and working with technology and material companies. The startup and medical device manufacturers are also collaborating to advance healthcare devices.
About Kumovis
Kumovis was founded in 2017 as a spin-off by alumni of the Technical University of Munich who successfully completed courses of study ranging from medical to plastics engineering — some of them with doctorates. The start-up enables the medical field to process high-performance polymers in a reproducible and regulatory-compliant manner using 3D printing. Additive manufacturing is thus ready for healthcare wherever it is needed. In 2019, Kumovis launched the R1 3D printer, introducing the concept of an industry-specific system for decentralized cleanroom production. In addition to support from investors, the start-up is part of incubation programs such as EXIST-Forschungstransfer and ESA BIC Bayern.Contact.
About Solvay Ventures
SOLVAY VENTURES is Solvay’s venture capital fund investing in breakthrough technologies in the field of new materials. Solvay Ventures has been operating since 2005 and is currently investing from a global €80 million evergreen fund. Solvay Ventures focuses on early-stage (seed to Series B) investment opportunities with an emphasis on startups solving problems in sustainable resources, energy transformation, increased well-being, and digital age. In addition to capital, Solvay Ventures leverages Solvay’s resources to accelerate technology and market adoption.
About Renolit SE
The RENOLIT Group is a global specialist for high-quality films, sheets and other products made of plastic. With more than thirty subsidiaries in over twenty countries and annual sales of €1,059 billion in fiscal 2019, the company, headquartered in Worms — about 70 km south of Frankfurt am Main — is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of plastic products. More than 4,800 employees continuously develop the knowledge and know-how acquired over more than seventy years.
About High-Tech Gründerfonds
The seed investor High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) finances technology start-ups with growth potential. With a volume of around EUR 900 million spread across three funds and an international partner network, HTGF has supported almost 600 start-ups since 2005. His team of experienced investment managers and start-up experts supports the young companies with know-how, entrepreneurial spirit and passion. The focus is on high-tech start-ups from the fields of digital business models, industrial tech, life sciences, chemistry and related business areas. More than EUR 2.4 billion in capital has been invested in the HTGF portfolio by external investors in more than 1,500 follow-on financing rounds to date. In addition, the fund has already successfully sold shares in more than 100 companies.