NinjaTek
Develops high-performance flexible and rigid 3D printing filaments (TPU/TPE) for industrial applications, leveraging 50+ years of extrusion expertise to enable durable, functional parts.
- CEO / Founder
- John Westrum
- Team Size
- 201-500
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- Bootstrapped
- Key Investors
- Fenner Precision Polymers (a Michelin Group Company)
Technology & Products
Key Products
NinjaTek specializes in high-performance flexible and rigid 3D printing filaments, including their flagship flexible filament, NinjaFlex, and other TPU/TPE materials.
Technological Advantage
VERIFIED: NinjaFlex was the first major flexible 3D printing filament on the market, with 660% elongation vs. industry average ~500% for TPU. DEFENSIBLE: Backed by Fenner's manufacturing IP and ISO 9001 certification.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Reduces prototyping and production costs by 30-50% compared to traditional manufacturing for flexible parts, with materials offering superior elongation (up to 660%), abrasion resistance, and print speed (e.g., Cheetah prints 2x faster than standard TPU).
How They Differentiate
3x higher elongation than standard TPU filaments (660% vs. ~200% for competitors), with proprietary formulations enabling faster print speeds (Cheetah prints at 100mm/s vs. 50mm/s for typical flexible filaments) and better abrasion resistance for industrial use.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Industrial 3D printing users, manufacturers, robotics teams, prototyping shops, and educational institutions requiring specialty materials.
Industry Verticals
3D Printing; Robotics; Automotive; Aerospace; Medical/Prosthetics; Manufacturing; Education
Competitors
Fillamentum (Flexfill TPU/TPE); ColorFabb (TPU filaments); Taulman3D (nylon and specialty filaments)
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Founded in 2015, operates as an industry-leading provider of flexible 3D filaments, has 388 active competitors including 9 funded and 15 exited.
Major Milestones
2015: Creation of NinjaTek division by Fenner Drives; 2016: Launch of Cheetah and Armadillo filaments at CES; 2018: Customer success with University of Utah robotics team in NASA challenge; 2021: Release of Chinchilla soft TPE filament
Notable Customers
University of Utah Student Robotics team (used Cheetah filament to win NASA Robotic Mining Challenge awards in 2018); Industrial prototyping shops and manufacturers (per case studies on safety shrouds and ear prosthetics)