BIWI SA acquires 9T Labs assets, rebrands composite AM technology as Neocarb

BIWI SA, a Swiss manufacturer of elastomers and composites based in Glovelier, has acquired the assets of 9T Labs AG, the Zurich-based startup that developed a fiber-reinforced composite additive manufacturing platform before entering bankruptcy in late 2025. The acquisition includes 40 machines and all associated intellectual property, rebranded as Neocarb and publicly unveiled at Watches and Wonders 2026. 9T Labs had raised approximately $21.5 million in funding before the District Court of Zurich opened bankruptcy proceedings on November 3, 2025. BIWI CEO Pascal Bourquard Jr. stated the startup did not fail due to defective technology but because it was ahead of an immature market, and that the technology needed the right industrial context to succeed.

This acquisition fits the pattern of established industrial manufacturers absorbing distressed AM startups to gain production-ready technology without the burden of venture-capital timelines. BIWI, which serves over 300 Swiss and international luxury brands across watchmaking, jewelry, medical, and military sectors, had already been working with 9T Labs technology prior to the acquisition. The Neocarb process produces parts with up to 60% continuous carbon fiber content and precise fiber orientation, yielding components claimed to be twice as strong and up to 70% lighter than titanium. Target applications include watchmaking, aerospace, mobility, and medical devices, with BIWI planning to open a new technology center in Glovelier as early as 2027, housing the 40 acquired machines and representing an investment of several million Swiss francs.

From an AM industry perspective, this is a pragmatic rescue of a technology that was technically sound but commercially premature. The key execution risk is whether BIWI can scale the Neocarb production from its current base to serve the aerospace and medical verticals it targets, where qualification requirements differ significantly from the luxury goods market it knows well. The acquisition gives BIWI a differentiated composite AM capability that few traditional manufacturers possess, but the company must now demonstrate it can build the service infrastructure and certification pathways that 9T Labs could not afford to develop.