Our Innovation Analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups working on solutions for the materials sector. As there is a large number of startups working on a wide variety of solutions, we decided to share our insights with you. This time, we are taking a look at 5 promising hybrid materials startups.
Heat Map: 5 Top Hybrid Materials Startups
Using our StartUs Insights Platform, covering 1.116.000+ startups & emerging companies, we looked at innovation in the field of materials. For this research, we identified 64 relevant solutions and picked 5 to showcase below. These companies were chosen based on a data-driven startup scouting approach, taking into account factors such as location, founding year, and technology among others. Depending on your specific criteria, the top picks might look entirely different.
The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights 5 startups & emerging companies developing innovative hybrid material solutions. Moreover, the Heat Map reveals regions that observe a high startup activity and illustrates the geographic distribution of all 64 companies we analyzed for this specific topic.
ProfMOF – Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF)
Metal-organic compounds are a class of hybrid materials that combine metal ions and organic ligands. They have uniform pore structures, adjustable porosity, and a large surface area-to-volume ratio. These properties make such composite materials suitable for applications in biomedicine, semiconductors, carbon capture, desalination, and more.
ProfMOF is a Norwegian startup that develops MOF for research and development (R&D) purposes. It produces zirconium-based MOF in an environmentally sustainable and cost-efficient manner. The startup’s products are stable even at temperatures, up to 400°C, and have large surface areas.
Graphmatech – Graphene-Based Nanocomposites
Graphene is a carbon allotrope and a promising candidate for a range of industrial applications. It possesses many desirable properties, such as high heat and electrical conductivity, imperviousness, and high electron mobility. However, the main challenge in many graphene-based solutions is its tendency to agglomerate. Startups develop graphene hybrids that overcome this limitation.
Swedish startup Graphmatech offers graphene-based nanocomposite materials. Aros Graphene is a patented graphene hybrid that does not re-form into many layers and is also eco-friendly and scalable. The startup’s hybrid materials find applications in conductive, self-lubricating polymers, and high energy density batteries.
GRAFT POLYMER – Thermoplastic Polymers
Thermoplastic polymers become flexible at higher temperatures and are rigid at low temperatures. Their high versatility and recyclability make them interesting materials for various manufacturing needs. Startups are exploring new hybrid materials based on thermoplastic polymers that extend their applications, as well as improve their manufacturing processes.
GRAFT POLYMER is a British startup that produces innovative, modified thermoplastic polymers. The nanostructured polymeric alloys have a co-continuous morphology and enhance the material’s technical characteristics and features. These are easily melt-processible and usable as either additives or standalone alloys. The startup’s solutions find applications in anticorrosive coating, flame retardant cables, hot-melt adhesives, among others.
Fiberpreg – Hybrid Fabric
Carbon fibers find multiple applications in the materials industry, as standalone solutions or composites, as well as hybrid materials. Hybrid fabric refers to a class of specialty fabric that involves many types of structural fibers in their construction. These fabrics have better mechanical properties, lower delamination, and higher tensile strength.
German startup Fiberpreg offers hybrid fibers and fabrics. It uses integrated impregnation with solvent or hot melt processes to produce carbon fiber weaves. Depending on the application, the startup develops standard carbon, hybrid, and unidirectional fabrics. It serves companies in many industries including in automotive, construction, shipbuilding, and power engineering.
Dimension Inx – Biomaterials
Biomaterials hold promise for the emerging applications in tissue engineering and bioprinting. These are usually produced by 3D printing with specialized bioinks. However, existing bioinks either lack sufficient bioactivity or are hard to manufacture at scale. Hybrid solutions overcome these barriers in creating biomaterials for regenerative tissues and organs.
The US-based startup Dimension Inx develops 3D printable biomaterials for medical applications. The startup’s 3D Painting System takes a materials science approach to biofabrication, which improves the versatility and affordability of biomaterials. It enables hybrid compositions and microstructures that blend synthetic and organic materials for complex tissues.
What About The Other 59 Solutions?
While we believe data is key to creating insights it can be easy to be overwhelmed by it. Our ambition is to create a comprehensive overview and provide actionable innovation intelligence so you can achieve your goals faster. The 5 hybrid materials startups showcased above are promising examples out of 64 we analyzed for this article. To identify the most relevant solutions based on your specific criteria, get in touch.
