3D printing company Azul 3D has closed a $15 million funding round with existing and new investors. Global investors include DuPont, Beta Lab and GS Futures.
Since 2019, DuPont has partnered with Azul 3D to work on developing applications that leverage Azul 3D’s patented High-Area Rapid Printing (HARP) technology.
“Azul3D is upending the supply chain and manufacturing process, creating products that were never before possible,” said Beta Lab CEO Abdulrahman al Olayan. “We invested in this company because it is unlike anything we have seen in the 3D printing space. It has the ability to flip verticals that have long been stagnant.”
Azul 3D was supported in this round by John Hartner, who has served as CEO since June 2023. Hartner is the former CEO of 3D printing company ExOne and has led technology companies worldwide in automation, electronics, cleantech and digital printing for 30 years. He has been an early investor and member of Azul 3D’s board of directors since 2020.
“Azul3D has become very focused on high-value, high-volume applications where we believe our 3D printing technology can be a game-changer,” Hartner said. “This new financing, particularly with the robust valuation, stands out against the current funding environment and shows the excitement surrounding this path and its potential for disrupting manufacturing in targeted industries.”
In addition, Azul 3D welcomes the newest member of its board, G. Walter “Wally” Loewenbaum, former chairman of 3D Systems Corp and founder of Rocky Point Ventures. He sees photopolymer 3D printing technology as having significant appeal again after a long time.
“This is the most excited I have been about photopolymer 3D printing in a long time,” Loewenbaum said. “With this technology, we have the potential to capture high-value markets and enable innovative new products. I’m excited to be a part of Azul 3D as it enters this next phase.”
The funding will be used to advance technology development in high-value applications and scale production in markets. These include, for example, the production of specialty components for electronics applications and personalized devices that can utilize Azul 3D’s HARP technology. HARP, a proprietary form of Vat polymerization that converts liquid plastic into solid objects using ultraviolet light, uses a unique liquid interface that remains molecularly flat during continuous printing. This allows users to build objects with precise thermal control and excellent material properties.
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