Nanochon
A 3D-printed synthetic cartilage implant designed to replace damaged knee tissue and stimulate the growth of natural bone and cartilage.
- CEO / Founder
- Benjamin Holmes
- Team Size
- 11-50
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- $11.3M
- Latest Round
- Seed Prime II
- Key Investors
- Cultivate(MD) Capital Funds, UVA Licensing & Ventures Group (LVG) Seed Fund, Alumni Ventures, Ben Franklin Technology Partners, Tysons Wealth Advisors, WSGR, Wealthing VC Fund
Technology & Products
Key Products
Chondrograft™ implant: A 3D-printed knee implant designed for cartilage restoration, offering a minimally invasive solution for tissue regrowth. Currently in Phase I clinical trial in Canada for a 10-patient early feasibility study evaluating safety and efficacy in knee cartilage restoration.
Technological Advantage
Utilizes a proprietary polyurethane and ceramic nanocomposite material that is 3D-printable, load-bearing, and mechanically matched to human cartilage, providing a faster and more cost-effective solution than lab-grown cell therapies.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Offers a permanent, one-step surgical alternative to traditional cartilage repair; it mimics the mechanical properties of natural tissue while acting as a scaffold for cellular regrowth, potentially delaying or eliminating the need for total knee replacements.
How They Differentiate
Nanochon offers a one-step surgical procedure using a 3D-printed synthetic scaffold (ChondroCore) that mimics cartilage mechanically while promoting natural tissue regrowth. This contrasts with Vericel’s two-step autologous cell therapy and CartiHeal’s aragonite-based implants, providing a faster, more cost-effective, and less invasive recovery pathway.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine specialists, and patients suffering from focal cartilage lesions or early-stage osteoarthritis.
Industry Verticals
["Medical Devices","Orthopedics","Regenerative Medicine","Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing)"]
Competitors
Miach Orthopaedics, Nurami Medical, OssDsign, 4WEB Medical
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Transitioned from R&D to clinical-stage with FDA and Health Canada regulatory pathways secured; team size expanded to 11-50 employees.
Major Milestones
["Secured FDA Breakthrough Device Designation for ChondroCore","Received Health Canada approval for first-in-human clinical trials","Successfully closed $4M Series A in 2024 to fund clinical entry","Initiated human clinical trials for 3D-printed knee implants in early 2026"]
Notable Customers
Health Canada (Clinical Trial Partner); U.S. Food and Drug Administration (IDE Pathway)