Vitriform3D
Develops patent-pending binder jetting technology to convert low-quality glass waste into low-carbon engineered stone products like tiles, countertops, and cladding, reducing embodied carbon by 4x compared to traditional ceramics.
- CEO / Founder
- Dr. Alex Stiles
- Team Size
- 1-10
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- $1.1M
- Latest Round
- Grant
- Key Investors
- U.S. Department of Energy; UT Research Foundation; UT Green Fee
Technology & Products
Key Products
3D-printed tiles (up to 2x4ft, scaling to 4x8ft); Countertops; Cladding/exterior surfaces; Architectural accents; Coasters (via Fourth and Glass Recycling Co.); Composite tooling
Technological Advantage
Proprietary binder jetting technology achieves material properties comparable to traditional ceramics with 4x lower embodied carbon, protected by patent-pending status and developed at University of Tennessee.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Transforms glass waste (8M tons landfilled annually in the US) into high-value engineered stone products with 4x lower embodied carbon than ceramics, enabling sustainable building materials and circular economy solutions.
How They Differentiate
Focuses specifically on glass waste upcycling via binder jetting AM, unlike broader recycling competitors; offers 3D texturing and color capabilities not available in traditional tile manufacturing.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Luxury tile brands (e.g., Zia Tile, Anthology Tile, Ann Sacks Tile), architectural firms, construction companies, and home goods retailers
Industry Verticals
Construction; Architecture; Home Goods; Sustainability/Recycling
Competitors
Le Pavé; RECO2; Bricolage Dynamics; NovoLoop; Automedi; Conox; Shark Solutions; Reflow
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Diverting 1000 tons of glass waste annually per large-format printer (equivalent to Knoxville's annual glass collection); launched coasters via Fourth and Glass ecommerce platform in 2023.
Major Milestones
Developed patent-pending binder jetting technology for glass waste (2022-2023); Joined Innovation Crossroads Cohort 6 at Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Launched coasters via Fourth and Glass Recycling Co. (2023); Consulting with luxury tile brands for 2025 product line launch
Notable Customers
Fourth and Glass Recycling Co. (launched recycled glass coaster product line); unnamed first customer in Michigan; potential future collaborations with Zia Tile, Anthology Tile, Ann Sacks Tile; partnerships with glass supplier, Bedrock (real estate developer), NextCycle Michigan, Centropolis Accelerator[1][2]