Winners of the Formnext 2023 Start-up Challenge announced
September 21, 2023
As part of its ninth international Start-up Challenge, Formnext has recognised emerging enterprises in the field of Additive Manufacturing for their innovative business ideas and technical developments. The awarded innovations demonstrate the wide range of applications for Additive Manufacturing, including medical applications, titanium material recycling, analysis software, and new Additive Manufacturing technologies for the automotive, electronics, dental, and engineering industries, among others. The winners, who will also showcase their products at Formnext 2023, are Endless Industries (Germany), Helio Additive (USA), Odapt (Spain), Progresja New Materials (Poland), and Vitro3D (USA).
The Start-up Challenge provides participating up-and-coming companies at Formnext with an opportunity to expand their network, exchange ideas with experts from the AM industry, and find potential partners or investors. They will have a unique stage to present themselves and their innovations. All five award-winning start-ups showcase highly advanced technological solutions and were said to impress with the breadth of their technologies and potential applications.
Endless Industries and Vitro3D have developed existing Additive Manufacturing technologies, such as manufacturing fibre-reinforced components and stereolithography. These advancements promise faster production speeds and higher quality components. Helio Additive, with its Dragon slicing analysis software, also focuses on improving the manufacturing process. Odapt has developed a customised baseplate for stoma patients, simplifying care and reducing waste. Progresja New Materials, a Polish start-up, aims to recycle titanium and use it to produce powder for Additive Manufacturing, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability. Additionally, the company was awarded the AM Ventures Impact Award worth €5,000 as part of the Formnext Start-up Challenge.
“The winners’ wide-ranging solutions demonstrate the AM industry’s huge potential for innovation and the versatility of the current and future applications of AM. They also show that this exciting technology can enable a wide range of innovative products and give us a powerful, practical tool for tackling current challenges such as climate change,” stated Sascha F Wenzler, Vice President Formnext at trade fair organiser Mesago Messe Frankfurt GmbH.
The five winners will each receive an additively manufactured award, as well as an exhibition and marketing package sponsored by Formnext and its partners. Additionally, the winners will participate in a pitch event on the Industry Stage at Formnext, broadcast live on Formnext.TV. The award is given to companies that are no more than five years old. The contest recognises viable new business ideas, and the judging panel consists of prominent representatives from the fields of industry, science, media, and investment.
All winners will showcase their innovations at exhibition booths and present them at the Formnext Pitchnext event on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.
Download Metal AM magazine
