Tel Aviv, Israel-based start-up Nanofabrica raised $4 million to finance research and development and to expand sales of what it describes as the first ultra precise 3D printer.
The latest round of funding was led by Microsoft’s venture fund, M12, and NextLeap Ventures brings the total raised to $7 million, according to a news release from Nanofabrica, which also lists Alpha Capital as an investor.
“Nanoscale, precision manufacturing is a growing need for [research] organizations, as well as production-scale manufacturing companies,” M12 Partner Matthew Goldstein said in the release. “Nanofabrica has focused on serviceability and robustness to best serve their customers and enable digital mass manufacturing of precision parts.”
Founded in 2016, Nanofabrica develops and sells industrial 3D printers that company officials say print with speed and accuracy that opens new possibilities and markets for digital manufacturing.
The micro 3D printers are focused on markets such as electronics, optics and medical devices.
Nanofabrica was started by CEO Jon Donner, who holds a doctoral degree in nano optics, and Chief Technology Officer Eyal Shelef, who previously led material development at HP-Indigo.
Donner said the global trend of miniaturization, particularly for electronics, has been limited by existing manufacturing technologies, which is why advances in 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, attract a lot of interest.
“At Nanofabrica we harness the strength of AM for precision high performance applications, bringing AM into new markets that require the next level of miniaturization, such as: electronics, semiconductors, optics and more.” Donner said in the release.
The company is focusing on printed molds for injection molding, Shelef said.
“We offer our customers a possibility to reduce waiting time from months to days and reduce costs by a factor of X100, a game changer in the huge market of injection molding” Shelef said in the release. “COVID 19 has shown industry the need of local and fast manufacturing, something that our 3D printers enable.”