Kumovis on Decentralizing Production of Plastic Medical Devices and Implants

Those who have been following our news for a while will certainly be familiar with the startup Kumovis. Because in 2018, only one year after its founding, Kumovis was already among the winners of the Formnext Startup Challenge. A year later, the young company was able to unveil its first own 3D printer, the Kumovis R1, which was developed specifically for industrial and medical applications. But what exactly sets the Munich-based company apart? What is its mission? And what challenges did it have to overcome? We spoke with Miriam Haerst, co-CEO of Kumovis, to get to the bottom of these questions.

3DN: Can you briefly introduce yourself and your connection to 3D printing?

Dr. Miriam Haerst, Co-CEO and Co-Founder, Kumovis GmbH (photo credits: Kumovis)

My name is Miriam Haerst and I am co-CEO of Kumovis GmbH. I first came into contact with 3D printing during an internship at university. That was in the field of developing patient-specific hearing aids. After my doctorate in plastics processing for medical technology, the idea to co-found Kumovis developped.

3D printing is a key technology for the healthcare sector, enabling patients to receive the best possible, individualized care. To meet this demand, Kumovis has specialized in the development of industry-specific 3D printing solutions for medicine. Since the launch of its proprietary 3D printer, Kumovis R1, Kumovis has been helping medical technology companies and hospitals to manufacture medical devices that bring significant added value to themselves and their patients.