VSParticle (VSP), a company based in Delft, has successfully raised €6.5 million in an A2 extension funding round. The leading investors include NordicNinja and Plural, with Hermann Hauser Investment also participating. This funding brings VSP’s total funding to €24.5 million. The new capital aims to further enhance VSP’s nanoparticle synthesis and deposition tools, which significantly cut down the material discovery timeline from ten years to one year. This expedited process is poised to revolutionize the development of next-generation products.
VSP’s recent funding round builds upon previous investments, highlighting a sustained interest in their innovative technology. Earlier reports covered the company’s ability to fast-track material discovery. Notably, this is not the first significant financial infusion for VSP; past funding rounds have also seen substantial contributions from various investors who recognize the company’s potential in accelerating material innovation. These investments have consistently aimed to enhance the company’s technological capabilities and broaden its market reach.
Capital Utilisation
The secured funds will be used to enhance VSP’s technology, enabling the development of next-generation printers with up to 100 times higher output. This will also support the company’s expansion into Japan and further growth in the US and Europe. According to VSP’s co-founder and CEO, Aaike van Vugt, their technology empowers researchers and commercial R&D teams worldwide to create new materials that can transform green hydrogen production and reduce emissions in carbon-intensive industries.
“We’re excited about the role VSParticle will play in tackling the climate crisis and we’re delighted to have the backing of NordicNinja and renewed support from Plural as part of this extension funding that will help us to reach more research teams across the world, including in Japan, to pave a new way for material discovery.”
New Material Discovery
Founded in 2014, VSP aims to accelerate material development to power next-gen products and unlock large-scale innovation. Their technology integrates all three steps of material innovation: lab trial and error, production process optimization, and mass production scaling. Researchers and R&D teams across Europe, China, India, and the US use VSP’s technology to develop advanced gas sensors and catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs) crucial for green hydrogen.
VSP’s mission is to achieve a century’s worth of material innovation within a decade, addressing the climate crisis and enabling a more sustainable future. The company’s flagship product, the VSP-P1 Nanoprinter, has been shipped to research teams at various institutions, such as Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. These teams are utilizing the nanoprinter to accelerate material development for innovative industrial solutions.
VSP’s technology is critical for the mass production of catalyst-coated Porous Transport Layers (PTLs), essential components in electrolyzers for green hydrogen production. By enabling the development of new material combinations for PTLs, VSP aims to achieve significant savings in scarce metals and facilitate faster, cheaper product introductions. By 2027, components developed with VSP’s technology are expected to reach the market, contributing to global net-zero goals.
NordicNinja, a VC fund focused on deeptech, climate tech, and digital society solutions, led the investment round. The fund aims to solve society’s hardest problems by combining European innovations with Japan’s drive for digital innovation. Plural, another significant investor, supports ambitious founders aiming to transform the world through technology. Both investors are excited about the potential of VSP’s technology to drive material innovation and tackle global challenges.
“Material discovery has always been extremely important in science but over the past 12 months, the world has woken up to the need to speed up innovation so we can find the solutions to global challenges, including decarbonising society,” said Sten Tamkivi, partner at Plural.
As the demand for green hydrogen increases, major markets like the EU and Japan are prioritizing this clean energy source. According to the International Energy Agency, 306 million tonnes of green hydrogen will be needed annually to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. VSP’s technology is expected to play a crucial role in meeting this demand by enabling faster and more efficient material innovations that support sustainable development.
