Headmade Materials Secures €1.9M Investment to Scale Cold Metal Fusion for Mass Production Metal 3D Printing

Headmade Materials, an innovative startup founded in 2019, is rapidly making its mark in the world of additive manufacturing by developing groundbreaking materials and processes specifically tailored for metal 3D printing. The company has gained significant recognition for its pioneering sinter-based metal additive manufacturing process, aptly named Cold Metal Fusion (also known as “Metal SLS”). This innovative approach is set to revolutionize the industry by enabling highly efficient additive manufacturing for mass production, crucially utilizing readily available, low-cost 3D printers already present on the market. This capability significantly lowers the barrier to entry for businesses looking to adopt metal additive manufacturing on a large scale.

Recently, Headmade Materials announced a pivotal achievement: they successfully secured a substantial €1.9 million investment. This vital capital injection is earmarked for accelerating the scaling up of their unique Cold Metal Fusion technology, alongside bolstering their marketing efforts and expanding customer development initiatives. The entirety of this significant investment was provided by a single, focused investor: the Industrial Technologies Fund of btov Partners, a prominent European venture capital firm known for its strategic investments in cutting-edge industrial innovations. The entire financing round was expertly prepared and robustly supported by the BayStartUP investor network, further validating the potential and market readiness of Headmade Materials’ technology.

Revolutionizing Metal 3D Printing: The Cold Metal Fusion Process

The journey of Headmade Materials began as a strategic spin-off from the esteemed SKZ polymer research institute, located in Würzburg, Germany. This strong foundation in material science and polymer research has been instrumental in the development of their proprietary Cold Metal Fusion process. Today, this groundbreaking technology empowers customers to mass produce complex metal parts with unprecedented cost-effectiveness and scalability, fundamentally altering the economics of metal additive manufacturing.

A core strength of the German startup lies in its ability to adapt its proprietary materials to run seamlessly on equipment from a wide array of established 3D printer manufacturers. This adaptability is a game-changer, as it dramatically simplifies the integration of Headmade Materials’ process into existing manufacturing workflows, eliminating the need for companies to invest in highly specialized or entirely new hardware. This universal compatibility not only accelerates adoption but also minimizes initial capital expenditure for manufacturers.

The Innovative Headmade Feedstock: Heart of Cold Metal Fusion

At the very heart of the Cold Metal Fusion process is the Headmade feedstock. This innovative material is not merely a metal powder but a sophisticated combination of fine metal powder meticulously blended with a special polymer binder system. This unique composition is crucial to the process, as it allows the feedstock to be processed on almost any laser-based 3D printer. During printing, the polymer binder holds the metal particles together, forming a “green part.” This green part is then debound and sintered in a furnace, where the polymer is removed, and the metal particles fuse together to create a dense, functional metal component. This sinter-based approach is similar to Metal Injection Molding (MIM) in terms of final part properties but offers the geometric freedom and customization benefits of additive manufacturing.

Unmatched Material Versatility and Customization

Beyond offering feedstock based on commonly used, high-performance alloys such as stainless steel 316L and titanium 6AI-4V, Headmade Materials excels in providing bespoke solutions. The German startup also undertakes the adaptation of individual alloys upon a client’s specific request. This includes working with challenging materials like hard metals or refractory metals, which are crucial for demanding applications in industries such as aerospace, medical, and specialized industrial tools. This flexibility in material development ensures that customers can leverage additive manufacturing for an even broader spectrum of applications, where specific material properties are paramount.

Christian Staudigel, Managing Director of Headmade Materials, expressed his enthusiasm regarding the recent investment, stating, “We have been working diligently on this technology for five years, perfecting its capabilities and expanding its potential. The strategic partnership with btov now provides us with an unparalleled opportunity to significantly accelerate the company’s development. More importantly, it brings us considerably closer to realizing our ambitious vision of achieving true 3D series production – a goal that has long been a driving force behind our innovation.” This statement underscores the critical role of the investment in transforming Headmade Materials’ technological prowess into widespread industrial adoption.

btov Partners: A Strategic Investor in Industrial Innovation

btov Partners stands as a distinguished European venture capital firm, renowned for its astute focus on both digital and industrial technologies. The firm has carved out a reputation as one of Europe’s most successful backers of artificial intelligence (AI) companies, demonstrating a keen eye for disruptive technologies and scalable business models. With strategically located offices in key European hubs including Berlin, Munich, St. Gallen, and Luxembourg, btov Partners collectively manages assets exceeding EUR 500 million. Their expansive network of private investors comprises an impressive roster of 250 experienced entrepreneurs and executives hailing from across Europe, providing not just capital but invaluable industry insights and connections to their portfolio companies.

The firm’s investment portfolio boasts an array of highly successful ventures, including prominent names such as Data Artisans, DeepL, Dyemansion, Effect Photonics, Finanzcheck, Immatics, ORCAM, Quanta, Raisin, SumUp, and Volocopter. This track record highlights btov’s commitment to supporting companies that are at the forefront of technological innovation and possess significant market potential. Their investment in Headmade Materials further solidifies their position as a key player in fostering the next generation of industrial technology leaders.

Why Cold Metal Fusion Captivated btov Partners

Robert Gallenberger, a Partner at the btov Industrial Technologies Fund, articulated the firm’s strategic rationale behind their investment: “We unequivocally view the Cold Metal Fusion technology as a highly viable and transformative approach for serial production in metal additive manufacturing, primarily owing to the inherently high cost efficiency of its entire process.” Gallenberger further emphasized the profound advantages of Headmade Materials’ technology, highlighting its ability to combine “mechanical part properties known from metal powder injection molding (MIM) process with considerable process advantages.” These advantages are critical for industrial adoption and include “reduced safety requirements due to easier powder handling and significantly higher green part stability.” This combination is exceptionally significant, as it addresses several traditional pain points associated with metal additive manufacturing, making it more accessible and practical for widespread industrial use.

The comparison to MIM is particularly noteworthy. Metal Injection Molding is a well-established mass production technique for small, complex metal parts, known for producing high-density parts with excellent mechanical properties. By achieving similar part quality while offering the design freedom and batch customization of 3D printing, Cold Metal Fusion opens up new possibilities for manufacturers. The improved safety profile, stemming from easier handling of the polymer-bound metal powder compared to pure fine metal powder, along with the enhanced stability of “green parts” (the printed but unsintered components), significantly streamlines the manufacturing workflow, reduces waste, and boosts overall production reliability. These factors are paramount for industries seeking to integrate additive manufacturing into their high-volume production lines.

The Future of Industrial Metal Additive Manufacturing

Headmade Materials’ success in securing this significant investment from btov Partners marks a crucial milestone not only for the company but also for the broader metal additive manufacturing industry. The Cold Metal Fusion technology holds the potential to democratize metal 3D printing, making it a viable and attractive option for a much wider range of manufacturers, from SMEs to large industrial players. By leveraging existing, low-cost hardware and simplifying the overall process, Headmade Materials is addressing key barriers to adoption, such as high equipment costs and complex operational requirements, which have historically limited the widespread application of metal AM.

This investment will undoubtedly accelerate the development of new materials, expand production capacities, and foster broader market acceptance of Cold Metal Fusion. As the company scales its operations and extends its reach, we can anticipate an exciting era where complex, high-performance metal parts can be mass-produced efficiently and sustainably, transforming various sectors including automotive, consumer electronics, medical devices, and industrial tooling. The vision of “3D series production” for metal components is steadily becoming a tangible reality, with Headmade Materials leading the charge.

What are your thoughts on Headmade Materials’ impressive €1.9 million investment and the potential of Cold Metal Fusion technology to shape the future of metal 3D printing? Share your insights and join the conversation in the comments below or connect with us on our Facebook and Twitter pages! Don’t miss out on the latest developments and innovations in the 3D printing world – sign up for our free weekly Newsletter and get all the news delivered straight to your inbox!