3D printing is currently one of the hottest sectors with various innovations happening on a daily basis. The pace at which the whole 3D printing industry is evolving is unparalleled in history. Many ambitious entrepreneurs are entering this space to make their mark on this nascent industry. One such entrepreneur is Paul Anand based out of Kochi, Kerala, India. His startup Biotz Intelligent Technologies which develops 3D printing solutions for enterprises is close to secure a Series A round of funding from group of investors.
Biotz was founded in 2012 by Paul Anand, a serial entrepreneur who previously founded Jib, a consumer electronics startup. Biotz has developed a 3D printer called Makifyr. Makifyr can be used to create 3D objects by using computer generated designs. Biotz is selling this printer to healthcare, automobile and aerospace sectors and the product is priced anywhere between 1 – 5 lakhs. Makifyr supports Android on the mobile device besides Mac and Windows platforms for the PC. The company is now working on a consumer version of the device. Other devices available in the market cost close to 20 lakhs. And this is where Biotz built a competitive advantage by creating an indigenous 3D printing technology.
Paul Anand claims that the firm has already bagged over 20 enterprise clients across verticals and has an order book of over 150. Currently, Biotz has outsourced the manufacturing process to a company based out of Mumbai. And Paul believes that once he starts his own manufacturing unit, the device cost can be further reduced to make it affordable to everyone. Biotz is also looking to launch an e-commerce portal for 3D printing in the near future, wherein users will be able to order various designs through the portal.
The capital will be used for setting up a manufacturing unit and R&D centre in Thiruvananthapuram, in addition to product development, marketing and hiring. Biotz had previously raised $50,000 in seed funding from an NRI in April last year.
Image Credit: Ryan (Flicker handle – ryanready)
