Elastium
A deep-tech footwear startup that utilizes proprietary granulate extrusion 3D printing to produce high-performance, fully recyclable foam sneakers on-demand.
- CEO / Founder
- Robert Karklinsh
- Team Size
- 1-10
- Stage
- Active
- Latest Round
- Seed
- Key Investors
- Robert Karklinsh, Lalaland Production & Design, Venture Guides, Capri Ventures
Technology & Products
Key Products
["Elastium-1: The world's first fully 3D-printed foam sneaker featuring a lattice-structured design.","The Orca: A hybrid high-performance sneaker featuring 3D-printed uppers and foam midsoles, developed in partnership with Lalaland.","Proprietary FGF 3D Printers: Custom-built Fused Granular Fabrication systems designed for low-density TPE extrusion.","Digital Fashion Assets: 3D digital twins of footwear for virtual environments and digital fashion platforms."]
Technological Advantage
Uses Fused Granular Fabrication (FGF) which prints directly from standard plastic pellets rather than expensive filaments, significantly lowering material costs and enabling the creation of low-density, high-rebound 'super-foams' that are 100% recyclable.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Enables localized, sustainable footwear production with zero minimum order quantities (No-MMOQ), reducing R&D costs by up to 80% and eliminating the need for expensive overseas molds.
How They Differentiate
Unlike competitors who often use expensive filaments or resins, Elastium utilizes proprietary Fused Granular Fabrication (FGF) to print directly from standard plastic pellets. This enables the creation of low-density, high-rebound 'super-foams' that are 100% recyclable and mimic the performance of traditional injection-molded EVA.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Athletic footwear brands (B2B), fashion designers, and eco-conscious sneaker enthusiasts (B2C).
Industry Verticals
["Footwear","Additive Manufacturing","Sustainable Fashion","Digital Fashion & Metaverse"]
Competitors
Zellerfeld, Hilos, Carbon
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Transitioned from R&D to commercial production in 2024; established partnership with California's largest footwear manufacturer.
Major Milestones
["Founded in 2021 by Robert Karklinsh to solve footwear waste issues.","Launched 'Elastium-1' in May 2023, the world's first fully 3D-printed foam sneaker.","Entered a strategic partnership with Lalaland Production & Design in October 2024 to onshore production to Los Angeles.","Unveiled 'The Orca' hybrid sneaker in October 2024, featuring 3D-printed foam midsoles and uppers.","Commenced commercial shipments of the Orca sneaker in November 2024."]
Notable Customers
Lalaland Production & Design, Digital Fashion Designers, Eco-conscious sneaker enthusiasts