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Layer Performance

SoftwareAachen, GermanyFounded 2024· One of 350 Software companies tracked by AMPulse

Universal non-planar slicing software for additive manufacturing that enables 3D-optimized path planning for FDM printers and robotic systems, delivering surface quality comparable to injection molding with 4x higher part strength and 10x faster production.

CEO / Founder
Lukas Pelzer
Team Size
11-50
Stage
Active
Latest Round
Grant
Key Investors
Index Ventures, btov Partners, Felix Jahn, Matt Robinson, Ajay Vashee, Carlos Gonzales-Cadenaz, Max Tayenthal

Technology & Products

Key Products

Non-planar slicing software (core product); Version 2.0: hardness-zone definition and machine code generation

Technological Advantage

Proprietary non-planar path planning algorithm enables 4x higher part strength and 10x faster production compared to conventional planar slicing; achieves injection-molding-quality surface finish on FDM-printed parts; works across all FDM printer architectures (3-axis conventional to 6-axis robotic with pellet extruders). Claimed technology position: "first universal slicer" (status: unverified from independent sources).

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Reduces production time and material usage by ~70% compared to conventional planar slicing; enables injection-molding-quality surface finish on 3D-printed parts; allows functional property customization (hardness zones) within single parts; compatible with all FDM printer types (conventional 3-axis to 6-axis robotic systems with pellet extruders).

How They Differentiate

Non-planar slicing capability (not offered by conventional slicers like Cura, PrusaSlicer, Simplify3D); multi-axis robot compatibility; functional property customization (hardness zones); material agnostic (works with filament and pellet systems).

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Industrial manufacturers using FDM 3D printing and robotic additive manufacturing systems

Industry Verticals

Additive Manufacturing; Industrial Production; Injection Molding Replacement

Competitors

Polygonica (mesh processing and slicing software for AM); Cura / PrusaSlicer (conventional slicing software platforms)

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

milestone_2024: Won Gründungspreis+ (Start-up Prize) in Digital Innovations category at Digital Summit 2024 organized by Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK). company_origin: Spin-off from IKV (Institut für Kunststoffverarbeitung) at RWTH Aachen University

Major Milestones

Web Summit 2024 German Pavilion exhibitor; Formnext 2024 exhibitor (launched Version 2.0 with hardness-zone feature); K-Mag case study: 70% reduction in production time and material usage

https://www.layerperformance.com

Why this company matters

Layer Performance GmbH, a spin-off from the Institute for Plastics Processing (IKV) at RWTH Aachen University, has developed a universal non-planar slicing software for additive manufacturing. The software enables 3D-optimized path planning for FDM printers and robotic systems, targeting a gap left by conventional planar slicers such as Cura and PrusaSlicer. The company claims its approach delivers surface quality comparable to injection molding, with 4x higher part strength and 10x faster production compared to planar slicing.

The core product is a non-planar slicing engine that supports both conventional 3-axis FDM printers and 6-axis robotic systems with pellet extruders. Version 2.0, launched at Formnext 2024, adds the ability to define spatial hardness zones within a single part, enabling functional property customization. The software is material-agnostic, working with filament and pellet systems, and claims to reduce production time and material usage by approximately 70% compared to planar methods.

Target customers are industrial manufacturers using FDM 3D printing and robotic additive manufacturing systems, particularly those looking to replace injection molding for low-to-medium volume production. The company exhibited at Formnext 2024 and Web Summit 2024, and won the Digital Startup of the Year 2025 award in Germany's Gründungswettbewerb – Digitale Innovationen. A case study with K-Mag reported a 70% reduction in production time and material usage.

Layer Performance's key differentiator is its universal non-planar slicing capability, which is not offered by conventional slicers. The proprietary algorithm enables multi-axis robot compatibility and functional property customization. However, the company's claim of being the 'first universal slicer' remains unverified from independent sources. With $5.6 million in funding from investors including Index Ventures and btov Partners, the company is positioned as an early-stage player in the industrial AM software niche, competing against established mesh-processing and slicing tools like Polygonica.