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Draft:Inkbit

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Inkbit

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Inkbit is an American additive manufacturing company based in Medford, Massachusetts. It was founded in 2017 as a spin-out of the MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL)[1]. Inkbit is known for its proprietary Vision-Controlled Jetting (VCJ) technology, which combines real-time scanning, machine vision, and artificial intelligence to produce production-grade polymer parts[2][3].

History

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Inkbit was founded by Davide Marini, Javier Ramos, Wojciech Matusik, Kiril Vidimce, and Wenshou Wang to address limitations of traditional 3D printing in industrial manufacturing. Kiril Vidimce, a former researcher at MIT CSAIL and expert in graphics and scalable computing, contributed to the software and simulation foundation of the platform.[4] Wenshou Wang, with expertise in material science and formulation, led early innovations in printable polymer development and chemistry integration.[5] The company has received funding from government agencies such as DARPA[6] and the National Science Foundation[7]. It has received investment from Stratasys, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Saint-Gobain, and Ocado Group[8].

Technology

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Inkbit’s Vision-Controlled Jetting (VCJ) incorporates Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) for layer-by-layer 3D scanning, feeding real-time geometric data into AI algorithms. The system uses contactless industrial inkjet deposition and features recyclable wax support material for post-processing. VCJ enables multi-material, high-accuracy prints suitable for end-use applications[9].

Products

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Inkbit's flagship system, the Vista™, supports a build volume of 500 × 250 × 200 mm and up to four simultaneous materials. Features include:

  • XY resolution: 32 μm; Z resolution: 63.5 μm
  • Multi-material printing with proprietary engineering polymers
  • Automated post-processing via thermal wax removal
  • Spectral Packing software for high-density 3D nesting[10]

Applications

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Inkbit systems are used across aerospace, medical devices, robotics, and electronics. Applications include:

  • UAV and drone housing with integrated lightweighting
  • Fluid manifolds with complex internal channels
  • Wearables and soft external devices
  • Robotic grippers with mixed rigidity and flexibility

Inkbit was awarded a $1.7 million contract by the U.S. Air Force to produce production-ready end-use parts for aerospace platforms[11].

Funding and Investment History

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Inkbit has completed several funding rounds, supported by government and private investors:

  • 2019 – Series A: Raised $12 million in a funding round led by Stratasys and DSM Venturing.[12]
  • 2021 – Series B: Raised $30 million in Series B funding with participation from Ingersoll Rand, Ocado, and others.[13]
  • SBIR Phase I–III Awards: Inkbit is registered in the SBIR.gov award directory for multiple federal research contracts.[14]

Inkbit has completed several funding rounds, supported by a mix of government and private investors:

2019 – Series A: Raised $12 million in a funding round led by Stratasys and DSM Venturing."Inkbit raises $12M led by Stratasys and DSM Venturing". Inkbit. Retrieved 2025-05-10.

2021 – Series B: Raised $30 million in Series B funding with participation from Ingersoll Rand, Ocado, and existing investors."Inkbit Raises $30M Series B". TCT Magazine. Retrieved 2025-05-10.

Government Contracts and SBIR Awards

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Inkbit has secured multiple Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards and government contracts that have been instrumental in developing and commercializing its VCJ technology:

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA): Under DARPA's SBIR program, Inkbit developed an additive manufacturing platform with integrated real-time metrology and feedback control. This significantly enhances part quality and reduces critical defect risk."Inkbit LLC – Success Report" (PDF). DARPA. Retrieved 2025-05-10.

United States Air Force (USAF): In March 2021, Inkbit was awarded a $1.7 million SBIR contract to build three Vista systems for deployment at USAF bases. The project included technical improvements and software development."Inkbit secures $1.7M USAF contract". 3D Printing Media Network. Retrieved 2025-05-10.

National Science Foundation (NSF): Inkbit received a Phase I SBIR award from NSF for "Multi-Material 3D Printing of Personalized Medical Simulation Models"."Case Study: Inkbit" (PDF). MIT CSAIL. Retrieved 2025-05-10.

Leadership and Board of Directors

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Executive Leadership

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  • Davide Marini – Chief Executive Officer and co-founder. Former CEO of Firefly BioWorks, acquired by Abcam. Holds a PhD from MIT.[15]
  • Javier Ramos – Chief Technology Officer and co-founder. Formerly at Rethink Robotics and Leaf. MIT graduate.[16]
  • Steffi Kochbeck – Vice President of Market Development. Formerly at EOS leading global medical AM strategy.[17]


Scientific Advisory Board

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  • Wojciech Matusik – MIT Professor and co-founder. Research in computational fabrication and materials. Co-author of a 2023 Nature article on VCJ technology.[18]
  • Timothy M. Swager – MIT Professor of Chemistry. Expert in polymers, nanomaterials, and sensing materials.[19]

Board of Directors

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  • Davide Marini
  • Bill Asher – Partner at Choate LLP, expert in corporate governance and finance.[20]
  • John Chen – Managing Partner at Phoenix Venture Partners, MIT PhD.[21]
  • Ron Scherf – VP R&D at Stratasys.[22]
  • Jason Weber – VP of Engineering at Ingersoll Rand.[23]
  • Henry Ford III – Director at Ford Motor Company, MIT Sloan MBA.[24]

Industry Recognition

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Inkbit has been featured in outlets including MIT News[25], 3D Printing Industry[26], and Fabbaloo[27].

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "A 3-D printer powered by machine vision and artificial intelligence". MIT News. 4 June 2019. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  2. ^ "Inkbit Vista launches with Vision-Controlled Jetting". Develop3D. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  3. ^ "Inkbit Demonstrates Next-Level Additive Manufacturing". Industry Today. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  4. ^ "Kiril Vidimce". Inkbit. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  5. ^ "Wenshou Wang". Inkbit. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  6. ^ "Inkbit LLC – Success Report" (PDF). DARPA. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  7. ^ "Case Study: Inkbit" (PDF). MIT CSAIL. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  8. ^ "Inkbit secures investment from industrial leaders". 3D Printing Industry. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  9. ^ "Inkbit Demonstrates Next-Level Additive Manufacturing". Industry Today. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  10. ^ "Vista - Inkbit 3D". Inkbit. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  11. ^ "Inkbit secures $1.7M USAF contract". 3D Printing Media Network. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  12. ^ "Inkbit raises $12M led by Stratasys and DSM Venturing". Inkbit. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  13. ^ "Inkbit Raises $30M Series B". TCT Magazine. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  14. ^ "Inkbit LLC - SBIR Award Database". SBIR.gov. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  15. ^ "Davide Marini, CEO". Inkbit. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  16. ^ "Javier Ramos, CTO". Inkbit. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  17. ^ "Steffi Kochbeck, VP Market Development". Inkbit. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  18. ^ "Wojciech Matusik – MIT Profile". MIT. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  19. ^ "Timothy Swager – MIT Profile". MIT. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  20. ^ "Inkbit Board". Inkbit. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  21. ^ "Phoenix Venture Partners". Phoenix VP. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  22. ^ "Stratasys Team". Stratasys. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  23. ^ "Jason Weber joins Inkbit Board". TCT Magazine. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  24. ^ "Inkbit Board Member Henry Ford III". TCT Magazine. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  25. ^ "A 3-D printer powered by machine vision and artificial intelligence". MIT News. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  26. ^ "Inkbit launches production-capable Vista platform". 3D Printing Industry. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
  27. ^ "Inkbit's future-proof strategy for 3D printing applications". Fabbaloo. Retrieved 2025-05-10.
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