Formnext, Europe’s leading additive manufacturing trade fair, and Germany’s UnternehmerTUM Center for Innovation and Business Creation have launched the Formnext Start-up Challenge for 2019.
Enterprises in the field of 3D printing with under five years of experience are now welcome to apply for the accolade, decided by a panel of industry professionals, including our editor-in-chief Michael Petch.
Speaking to the requirements for the challenges Tobias Kuhl, Senior Project Leader at UnternehmerTUM and panel member, stated:
“We are looking for companies that solve a genuine customer problem. This might be by delivering considerable time and cost savings, improving the quality of the end product significantly, or by increasing the user-friendliness and accessibility of AM.”
The Formnext Start-up Challenge 2019
2019 will be fifth year the show has held the Formnext Start-up Challenge for budding 3D printing businesses. According to Sascha F. Wenzler, Vice President at the Formnext exhibtion “Over the past five years, the Start-up Challenge has evolved into an internationally acclaimed competition, attracting start-ups from all around the world.” The main aim is to accelerate the business development of promising upcoming 3D printing companies.
All businesses founded after December 31, 2013, with a product or service that is market-ready regarding customers, product status, and revenue are eligible to apply. This is at the exception of any start-ups majority-owned by an already established company.
The top five companies selected from applicants will be awarded with a Formnext exhibition and marketing package which includes, a fully equipped 9 m² exhibition booth in the Formnext 2019 Start-up Area, and inclusion in all relevant and worldwide
Formnext marketing and communication activities.
The companies will also win the opportunity to take part in a pitch to receive business coaching. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to meet potential customers, investors, and experts from the additive manufacturing sector.
Formnext start-up winners
In 2018 the winners of the Formnext Start-up Challenge brought a variety of solutions to the industry, including advanced composite manufacturing, and multi-material SLS. These five past winners selected by the panel are listed below:
– Fortify, a Boston-based Digital Composite Manufacturing (DCM) company behind “a microparticle-reinforced, high-resolution additive manufacturing composite platform.”
– Aerosint, the Belgian developer of an alternative recoater than enables multimaterial 3D printing using SLS.
– AMendate, a German provider of fully automated topology optimization software
– Kumovis, a spin-off from the Technical University of Munich developing medical 3D printing systems and,
– Nanogrande, Montreal developers of nanoscale 3D printing technology.
Other previous Formnext Start-up Challenge winners, now somewhat well-established within the industry, include 3D printing software company,3YOURMIND, automated post-processing provider DyeMansion, and SLS 3D printer manufacturer, Sinterit.
Apply Now
The deadline for applications for the Formnext Start-up Challenge 2019 is June 30th and the winners will be announced in the fall. Interested start-ups can apply online here.
We wish everyone the best of luck and look forward to seeing you all at Formnext 2019 19th – 22nd of November 2019.
Remember, it’s not too late to cast your votes for the 2019 3D Printing Industry Awards.
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Featured image shows 3yourmind’s winning trophy for the 2016 Formnext Start-Up Challenge. Photo by Michael Petch.
