Unlocking production-speed additive manufacturing at the micro-scale

Description du projet

Microfabrication à l’échelle industrielle par fabrication additive

La fabrication additive suscite un intérêt croissant depuis quelques années, grâce aux progrès technologiques qui permettent de réaliser des constructions plus rapides, plus précises et plus durables à partir de matériaux divers. L’impression 3D de nano- et microstructures présente un potentiel considérable pour transformer divers secteurs industriels, même si elle se heurte actuellement à des défis en matière d’efficacité et de précision lorsqu’il s’agit de passer à une échelle supérieure. Photosynthetic a développé une technologie de micro-lithographie volumétrique qui surmonte ces difficultés et améliore considérablement la vitesse, le coût et la complexité, tout en offrant des résolutions élevées. Ce projet financé par le CEI va développer la technologie révolutionnaire et ultrarapide de l’impression 3D, qui permet de fabriquer des nanostructures et des microstructures à l’échelle industrielle.

Objectif

Photosynthetic B.V. founded in 2018 in Amsterdam, revolutionises microfabrication with its ultra-fast 3D printing technology, producing micro- and nano-structures with feature sizes under a micron. Awarded the Formnext Start-Up Challenge, Photosynthetic aims to lead the next generation of microfabrication, significantly impacting health and other sectors. Our mission is to revolutionise microfabrication by enabling efficient industrial-scale production of microstructures, unlocking new product possibilities, especially in health.
We plan to set the standard for manufacturing nano- and micro-structures, starting with microfluidic devices like micro-porous membranes for cell analysis, Microneedle Array Patches (MAPs) for drug delivery or bio-scaffolds for tissue engineering.
Current microfabrication methods are slow, expensive, and limited in complexity. Photosynthetic’s Volumetric Micro-Lithography (VML) technology overcomes these challenges, enabling rapid production of complex 3D geometries with sub-micron precision. VML is based on single-photon polymerization, and is 1000 times faster than Two-Photon Lithography (TPL). It forms entire objects simultaneously, offering high resolution and speed.
Photosynthetic’s technology addresses needs in biotechnology (micro-porous membranes), pharmaceuticals (MAPs for vaccine delivery), cosmetics (microneedles for drug delivery), public health (mass immunisation), or research (custom scaffolds). Revenue comes from printer sales and printing services.
We promote green manufacturing through reduction of the material usage, and shortening of time-to-market. The technology enhances Europe’s technological independence and creates high-value jobs.
We are seeking €2.5 million in EIC grant funding and €6 million equity (€3 mln EIC + €3 mln other VC) to complete, test, and commercialise its technology. The funds will support hardware upgrades, material improvements, and scaling production processes.