VXL
Alkali-soluble support materials (VXL brand) for FFF/FDM 3D printers that enable printing of complex geometries with engineering polymers (ABS, PETG, PA, PEEK, PC) by dissolving quickly in water-based alkaline solutions, reducing post-processing labor by up to 80%.
- CEO / Founder
- Thomas Demmer
- Team Size
- 11-50
- Stage
- Active
- Latest Round
- Series D
- Key Investors
- Bessemer Venture Partners, Playground, Khosla Ventures
Technology & Products
Key Products
VXL 70 — water-soluble support for standard thermoplastics (ABS, PETG, ASA); VXL 90 — alkali-soluble support with enhanced adhesion and wider material compatibility; VXL 111 — universal support for high-performance polymers (PA, ASA, PC-ABS) with mild alkaline removal; VXL 130 — high-temperature support for PEEK, ULTEM, and advanced engineering resins; VXL 150 — latest formulation for extreme-temperature applications; VXL EX & VXL Solve — proprietary removal solutions (alkaline detergents) for efficient dissolution; Vortex EZ — post-processing support removal station (hardware)
Technological Advantage
Proprietary acrylate-based thermoplastic polymer chemistry (water and alkali-soluble); patent-protected formulations deliver superior adhesion and rapid dissolution vs. competitors (PVA, BVOH); backward-compatible with existing FFF printers (no hardware modifications required); OEM partnerships with Raise3D, Ultimaker, BCN3D provide distribution scale and standardized material profiles
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Reduces post-processing time and labor cost by 80% vs. mechanical support removal; enables reliable printing of high-temperature engineering polymers (PEEK, ULTEM, PC) that previously required prohibitive drying protocols; compatible with all major desktop/professional FFF platforms (Raise3D, Ultimaker, BCN3D); achieves 4x throughput improvement when combined with high-speed printer firmware
How They Differentiate
VXL's proprietary acrylate-based formulation dissolves in mild alkaline solutions without water absorption (eliminating PVA's brittleness issue); validated compatibility with 15+ engineering polymers including PEEK/ULTEM (not addressable by PVA competitors); 4x faster throughput when paired with Raise3D Pro3 Hyper FFF vs. standard FFF at standard speeds; integrated removal hardware (Vortex EZ) + materials ecosystem creates switching cost
Market & Competition
Target Customers
FFF/FDM 3D printer manufacturers (OEMs), professional/industrial print service bureaus, aerospace/defense/automotive/medical component manufacturers
Industry Verticals
Aerospace & Defense; Automotive; Medical Devices; Electronics; Engineering & Manufacturing
Competitors
Ultimaker (soluble support materials + printers); 3DFils (PVA support filament supplier); MatterHackers (soluble support materials); Zortrax (proprietary support solutions for their printer ecosystem)
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Acquired Xioneer Systems GmbH (Vienna, Austria, FFF 3D printer hardware company) in February 2020, integrating materials expertise with OEM hardware distribution (estimated 20–30 employees combined post-acquisition); VXL soluble support material adopted by Raise3D for validated high-speed printing at 300 mm/s; estimated revenue run rate in low millions EUR (based on market size of soluble support consumables, premium pricing, and OEM adoption breadth — not verified)
Major Milestones
2008 — Founded as BellandTechnology to develop acrylate-based soluble polymers; 2012 — Xioneer Systems GmbH founded in Vienna (FFF hardware + software); 2019–2020 — BellandTechnology acquires Xioneer Systems out of insolvency (Feb 3, 2020 announcement); 2020+ — VXL brand consolidation; partnership with Raise3D for high-speed FFF validation; launch of VXL 150 for extreme-temperature applications
Notable Customers
Raise3D (OEM partnership, validated at 300 mm/s printing speed); Forward AM (materials collaboration); Professional print service bureaus using Ultimaker and BCN3D printers; Aerospace/defense contractors (implied via industry segment focus, specific names confidential)