TDK Corp. announced that subsidiary TDK Ventures Inc. will back Fabric8Labs, marking its second investment in the additive manufacturing space and first in metal printing.
Fabric8Labs has developed a proprietary process that is different from other metal additive manufacturing – it does not require the use of expensive metal powders. Their process is uniquely positioned to produce precision metal parts that are mass-production friendly, and with a lower cost than traditional 3D printing approaches. Fabric8Labs’ proprietary process has a lower environmental footprint than other metal 3D printing processes, aligning with TDK Ventures’ focus on startups in the digital and energy transformation sector that contribute to society and sustainability efforts.
Fabric8Labs is initially targeting the rapidly growing copper market, which is expected to reach 222 billion USD in 2025, focusing on copper 3D printing for cooling applications in semiconductors, chip-scale fabrication, and RF components. Copper was recently coined as the new “oil” due to its prevalence in electric vehicles and semiconductor wiring. Fabric8Labs is also sampling additional metals and alloys to customers, opening applications across industries from automotive tooling to medical.
Fabric8Labs’ proprietary metal 3D printing technology deposits metal atoms at the speed of mass manufacturable industrial processes. The process leverages proven technologies developed from the LED industry to produce metal parts with ultra-high precision in a software-defined fashion.
With the traction found in various industries, Fabric8Labs completed their Series A round raise this month of $19.3M led by Intel Capital with participation from TDK Ventures announced today, as well as Lam Capital, Schneider Ventures, Stanley Black & Decker, and Mark Cuban Companies. The financing will enable Fabric8Labs to accelerate the commercialization of its technology and bring the cost of metal additive manufacturing within reach for a much broader market.
For more information: TDK Ventures
