Stratasys Ltd., a leader in polymer 3D printing solutions, announced the acquisition of Arevo’s carbon fibre technology portfolio, to strengthen its position in FDM 3D printing. Arevo, Inc., which was previously based in Silicon Valley, ceased its operations in 2023.
The IP estate being acquired includes multiple foundational patents in carbon fibre printing, Z-strength improvement achieved through localised laser melting and roller compaction, in-situ and AI build monitoring, and hardware design. The integration of this technology into Stratasys FDM® print systems allows Stratasys to expand its addressable manufacturing applications for its customers.
Acquisition of Arevo’s Carbon Fibre Technology
AREVO was a Silicon Valley startup that created technology that allowed for high-volume direct digital additive manufacturing of ultra-strong, lightweight composite parts for end-use applications. It intended to automate the production of continuous carbon fibre composite structures.
Arevo is best known for Superstrata, the world’s first custom-fit, unibody bicycle frame 3D-printed from continuous carbon fibre composite. They crowdfunded their bikes through Indiegogo, raising $7 million from over 4,000 backers. But things only got worse from there.
While the company claimed in February 2023 that 96% of bike deliveries were completed, the response to the bike was disappointing. In July 2023, Vietnamese media reported that the company had ceased operations.
With all of these issues, the company’s original founder had already left the organisation in 2021, and the subsequent CEO was juggling multiple companies, the company was on the verge of closing, which it eventually did.
Stratasys made a strategic decision to acquire the company and its assets. With these assets, Stratasys will be able to accelerate the use of FDM printing applications by removing customer adoption barriers associated with higher performance requirements such as strength and isotropy, more reliable and consistent builds, and improved system throughput for better parts economics.
“The technology we’ve acquired allows for increasingly improved isotropy of physical properties in FDM parts, which opens up additional use for customers. This investment continues our commitment to focusing our organic and inorganic innovation on applications and use cases that provide real value to our manufacturing customers, ensuring that Stratasys will continue to be the most relevant and attractive partner moving forward.”
– Rich Garrity, Chief Industrial Business Officer, Stratasys
This asset acquisition reflects Stratasys’ clear strategy of creating practical value for its customers by investing in innovation, both organically and through the acquisition of technology and intellectual property. Stratasys stands out from the competition with a portfolio of 2,600 granted and pending patents.
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