Cocoa Press
Develops 3D printers specialized for chocolate, enabling personalized, on-demand confections without molds by extruding tempered chocolate layer by layer.
- CEO / Founder
- Ellie Weinstein
- Team Size
- 1-10
- Stage
- Commercial
- Total Funding
- $20K
- Latest Round
- Grant
- Key Investors
- Pennovation Accelerator, University of Pennsylvania
Technology & Products
Key Products
Cocoa Press 3D chocolate printer; At-home DIY kit; Pre-tempered chocolate refills
Technological Advantage
Achieves stable builds up to 6 inches (200 layers) high; 50% faster printing than previous prototypes; recurring revenue model via proprietary chocolate refills.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Reduces equipment cost by ~90% ($57,000 to $5,500) for custom chocolate production while eliminating the need for expensive molds and reducing production time by 50%.
How They Differentiate
Significantly lower price point ($1,500-$5,500) compared to industrial food processing equipment ($57,000) and 50% faster printing than early prototypes.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Chocolatiers, bakeries, confectionery shops, hobbyists, and event planners.
Industry Verticals
Food; Confectionery
Competitors
Choc Edge (Choc Creator), Natural Machines (Foodini), Procusini (Print2Taste)
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Chocolate walls to 6 inches/200 layers; 50% faster printing; $57K traditional shop equipment vs. $5,500 Cocoa Press; potential $500M 3D-printed confections market.
Major Milestones
2014 high school prototype; 2019 Penn graduation and full-time startup launch; 2019 Pennovation accelerator and Miller Fellowship; 2020 pre-orders planned
Notable Customers
The Franklin Institute