Voxel8 raises $12M to help bring 3D-printed electronics to the masses

Voxel8, creators of a 3D electronics printer, has raised $12 million to grow its team and develop the core technology that enables companies to 3D-print products with built-in electronics.

Founded out of Somerville, Massachusetts, Voxel8 lays claim to having created the world’s first “multi-material 3D printer,” one that’s capable of printing embedded electronics and “other novel devices.”

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To enable this, Voxel8 announced a partnership with Autodesk earlier this year, resulting in the development of Project Wire, software specifically for designing 3D-printed electronics.

Pre-orders for the $8,500 3D-printer opened back in January, and the first units are expected to ship this November.

While the headline price might seem hefty, it’s important to note that this isn’t aimed at the consumer market — it’s being pitched at research and development (R&D) divisions within major organizations, who will use this to print products with built-in circuitry and wires. It essentially lets companies develop more efficiently “in-house” and bypass traditional supply chains.

Co-founded by Harvard professor Dr. Jennifer Lewis, Voxel8 says it has already sold printers to companies working in the aerospace, automotive, medical, apparel, consumer electronics, defense, and 3D antenna industries.

While the company previously raised an undisclosed round of financing, today represents the first significant VC funding the company has taken on. Braemar Energy Ventures and ARCH Venture Partners led the round, with participation from Autodesk — through its Spark Investment Fund — and In-Q-Tel.

“It’s very gratifying to see innovations from the lab advancing so quickly, and this new round of funding will help us accelerate the process of bringing this novel technology to market,” explains Lewis.