The German high-tech startup Fusion Bionic, which enables technical surfaces through laser-assisted biomimetics, closed its first seed financing with a comfortable seven-figure amount led by the Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen (TGFS) as well as the Fraunhofer Technology Transfer Fund (FTTF) and Avantgarde Labs Ventures.
Picture: ronaldbonss.com
The Dresden company, a spin-off of the Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS, develops and sells systems for the production of bionic surfaces with patented laser microtexturing technologies. The solutions offered by Fusion Bionic are up to 100 times faster than established methods, paving the way for high-performance surfaces in various industries and enabling self-cleaning properties, anti-icing properties, reduced friction, improved contact performance and much more.
“Until now, the industrial production of functional surfaces on products has typically been done using coatings or lithographic processes. However, many engineered surfaces require new ways to improve their performance where traditional coatings are inapplicable or insufficient to be successful. In addition, green manufacturing aspects such as sustainability and ecology are important, which must also be economically attractive. Our laser-based biomimetic approach offers completely new degrees of freedom in surface design with an unprecedented high speed that enables novel products and processes,” explains Tim Kunze, co-founder and CEO of Fusion Bionic.
During their time at Fraunhofer, the founders developed both the technical concepts and the functionalities of their approach and brought the technology to maturity. “Using a unique, state-of-the-art laser technology is the next generation of manufacturing solutions to bring biomimetic surfaces to market. We, as the Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen, were happy to lead this investment round and supported Fusion Bionic in leveraging the great business potential on an international level. Our recent financial commitment reflects our belief in the company's advanced solutions and our confidence in its highly qualified, experienced and motivated management team. As part of the lively start-up scene in Dresden, Fusion Bionic demonstrates the innovative power of the Saxon high-tech ecosystem.
Thong Le Hoang, Investment Manager at FTTF, adds: “Fusion Bionic is a great example of how technology allows us to mimic nature's complex structures and benefit from its unique functionalities. Their concept of biomimicking can be applied to various industries and especially on a large scale. This opens up great opportunities to address existing problems and create unprecedented products. We believe that Fusion Bionic is a pioneer in the surface functionalization market and has the potential to change the way we think about surfaces. We are very happy to welcome the team to our portfolio and we are ready to revolutionize the world of surfaces together with them.”
Founded in early 2021, the company has already attracted significant customer interest from multiple industrial partners worldwide. Fusion Bionic was recently awarded by Heraeus as part of its Accelerator-Programms 2021 selected from over 1800 global startups. The closed seed investment in Fusion Bionic will fuel the creation of a laser-based surface functionalization application center and an artificial intelligence-based prediction platform to accelerate the development of laser functionalities. “The use of artificial intelligence along with photonics technology is a key enabler for future innovation and we believe Fusion Bionic's vision will set a cornerstone in this space,” adds Torsten Hartmann, co-founder and CEO of Avantgarde Labs Ventures.
Kunze shared his long-term vision of Fusion Bionic: "We strongly believe that biomimetic surfaces will enable the next generation of products and processes ready to address major global challenges such as water supply and energy generation. Our aim is to shape the future according to bionic principles.”
About the Technologiegründerfonds Sachsen (TGFS)
TGFS is an equity investor for knowledge-based, technology-oriented start-ups in Saxony. It is the leading start-up financier in Bavaria and accompanies teams in both the seed and founding phases with venture capital and management support. A participation by TGFS gives portfolio companies access to other international investors.
About the Fraunhofer-Technologietransferfonds (FTTF)
The Fraunhofer Technology Transfer Fund (FTTF) is a financing partner for young high-tech companies of the Fraunhofer Society. As a strong, entrepreneurial partner, FTTF finances Fraunhofer start-ups from the pre-seed phase and in further financing rounds with additional investments of up to five million euros. The fund also accompanies talented entrepreneurs with extensive start-up experience and a broad investor network in order to exploit the full potential of the companies in the market.
About the Avantgarde Labs Ventures
Avantgarde Labs Ventures is an early-stage investor in technology-focused startups operating in fast-growing B2B markets. In addition to venture capital investments, Avantgarde Labs Ventures provides operational support in real-time software systems, data analysis and artificial intelligence.
About the Heraeus
The technology group Heraeus, headquartered in Hanau, Germany, is a leading international portfolio company in family ownership. The roots of the company go back to a family pharmacy founded in 1660. Today, the Heraeus Group includes companies in the fields of environment, electronics, health and industrial applications. Customers benefit from innovative technologies and solutions based on comprehensive materials expertise and technology leadership.
In the 2020 fiscal year, Heraeus generated sales of EUR 31.5 billion with around 14,800 employees in 40 countries. Today, Heraeus is one of the top 10 family companies in Germany and holds a leading position in its global markets.
