Vulkam
Vulkam is a French DeepTech company founded in 2017 that industrializes proprietary amorphous metal alloys (Vulkalloys®) into precision micro-components for the watchmaking/luxury, medical device, and aerospace industries, using a patented vertical injection thermomoulding process.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersSaint-martin-d'heres, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Vulkam does
Vulkam is a French DeepTech company founded in 2017 that industrializes amorphous metal alloy components under its proprietary Vulkalloys® brand. Emerging from more than 30 years of research at the SIMAP laboratory in Grenoble, the company — co-founded by Sébastien Gravier (CEO) and Alexis Lenain (Scientific Manager) — produces four alloy families: nickel-based (Ni), zirconium-based (Zr Inox and Zr-Med), niobium-based (Nb Med), and copper-based (Cu), each engineered for specific industrial requirements including biocompatibility, high mechanical strength, reduced friction, and non-magnetic behavior. The company holds 14 patent families covering both alloy formulations and manufacturing processes.
Vulkam controls the entire value chain in-house, from alloy formulation through to finished part production, leveraging a patented vertical injection thermomoulding process that achieves ±10 µm precision and Ra < 0.4 µm surface finish directly from the mold. This integrated approach, combined with the inherent properties of amorphous atomic structure, yields components with elasticity twice that of conventional alloys, mechanical strength up to three times that of titanium, and reduced friction (coefficient ~0.06 in lubricated conditions), enabling miniaturization not achievable with crystalline metals. Production capacity was substantially scaled through a dedicated 2,800 m² amorphous metallurgy plant opened in Gières, France in 2026.
The company operates a direct enterprise sales model with an engineering office, prototyping-from-preforms service (first parts within 6 weeks), full thermomoulding for pre-series through large series, overmolding, and integrated machining. Target customers span watchmaking and luxury goods (escape wheels, casing, hinges, clasps), medical devices (surgical instruments, dental devices, micro-implants — pursuing ISO 13485:2016), and aerospace/defense (cryocoolers, infrared detection). Named enterprise references include Sofradir (space-related co-development) and an unnamed leader in the oral health industry; the company has also validated the technology in an ESA OSiP project with Thales Cryogenics and Lynred.
Vulkam firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Vulkam
- Legal name
- Vulkam
- Website
- https://vulkam.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Vulkam is a French DeepTech company founded in 2017 that industrializes proprietary amorphous metal alloys (Vulkalloys®) into precision micro-components for the watchmaking/luxury, medical device, and aerospace industries, using a patented vertical injection thermomoulding process.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Vulkam industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Advanced Metallurgy Components
- NAICS
- Powder Metallurgy Part Manufacturing (332117), Turned Product and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing (33272)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products (3490), Screw Machine Products (3451)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Additive Manufacturing for Metals (Metal 3D Printers & Post-Processing) (IMAHADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Concept & Industrial Design Prototyping (Additive) (IMAAAFAA), Materials R&D & Characterization (Powder/Resin Development, Testing) (IMAAAJAG)
Keywords
Where Vulkam is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint-martin-d'heres
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Vulkam business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Thermomoulding Manufacturing: Production of precision amorphous metal parts using proprietary vertical injection thermomoulding process. Parts produced with ±10µm precision and surface finish Ra < 0.4 µm directly from mold. Suitable for pre-series, small, medium, and large production runs.
- Prototyping from Preforms: Machining of parts from amorphous metal preforms for rapid testing and validation. First parts available within 6 weeks at competitive pricing comparable to conventional alloys. Gateway service leading to series production.
- Engineering Office Services: Design for performance services including functional requirements analysis, Vulkalloy selection and geometry optimization, CAD files and technical dossier delivery, and industrialization validation. Support service that systematically leads to manufacturing.
- Overmolding Services: Deposition of thin Vulkalloy layers (a few tenths of a millimeter) onto existing metal inserts. Concentrates exceptional properties only where needed while optimizing material consumption. Suitable for medium and large production runs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Prototyping from Preforms |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels10 records
Vulkam product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Vulkam develops, formulates, and manufactures precision parts from proprietary amorphous metal alloys marketed under the Vulkalloys® brand, using a patented vertical injection thermomoulding process. The company delivers end-to-end services from co-development and design engineering through prototyping (first parts in 6 weeks) to mass production of small, complex metal components with ±10µm precision and surface finish Ra < 0.4 µm directly from the mold.
Product overview
Vulkam is a DeepTech company specializing in the development and manufacturing of amorphous metal alloy parts under the Vulkalloys® brand. The product portfolio includes four proprietary alloy formulations: Vulkalloy® Ni (nickel-based for watchmaking), Vulkalloy® Zr Inox (zirconium-based for luxury applications), Vulkalloy® Nb Med (niobium-based for medical devices), and Vulkalloy® Cu (copper-based general-purpose). The company provides end-to-end manufacturing services including an engineering office for design optimization, prototyping from preforms, thermomoulding (a proprietary vertical injection process), overmolding, and machining. All services are delivered from the company's Grenoble, France facility, enabling complete control from alloy formulation through finished part production.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Vulkalloys®: Proprietary range of amorphous metal alloys developed by Vulkam, including Vulkalloy Ni, Vulkalloy Zr Inox, Vulkalloy Zr-Med, Vulkalloy Nb-Med, and Vulkalloy Cu. These alloys combine exceptional mechanical properties including extreme strength, elasticity, corrosion resistance, and non-magnetic properties for applications in watchmaking, medical devices, and aerospace.
Products and services
- Vulkalloy® Ni A nickel-based amorphous metal alloy with exceptional mechanical strength (2800 MPa yield strength), reduced friction (coefficient ~0.06 in lubricated conditions), and corrosion resistance. Designed for high-performance watchmaking components such as escape wheels, blades, springs, and other precision micromechanical parts demanding durability and stable performance.
- Vulkalloy® Zr Inox A zirconium-based amorphous metal alloy combining superior surface finish, enduring brilliance, and exceptional elasticity (2x conventional alloys). Stronger than titanium, lighter than steel, with natural unalterable shine. Used for decorative parts, watch casing, eyewear, jewelry, and luxury leather goods.
- Vulkalloy® Nb Med A niobium-based amorphous metal alloy specifically developed for medical applications. Biocompatibility confirmed through ISO 10993 tests. Specific strength 318 kN.m.kg-1 (vs 195 kN.m.kg-1 for TA6V), bending strength 2750 MPa (3x TA6V), hardness 65 HRC. Enables miniaturization of surgical instruments, implants, microimplants, dental devices, and vascular clips.
- Vulkalloy® Cu A copper-based amorphous metal alloy formulation offering performance comparable to other Vulkalloys with a different elemental composition. Suitable for all applications with lubrication-free mechanical transmission, maintained corrosion resistance, and wear resistance. Provides cost/performance trade-off within the Vulkalloys® family.
- Engineering Office Services Design-for-performance service including functional requirements analysis, Vulkalloy selection, geometry optimization, CAD file delivery, technical dossier preparation, and industrialization validation. Provided to enterprise customers as the entry point in Vulkam's service progression.
- Prototyping from Preforms Machining of parts from amorphous metal preforms (Vulkalloys) for rapid testing and validation of functional properties. First parts available within 6 weeks at competitive pricing comparable to conventional alloys. No dedicated tooling required for initial validation; serves as gateway to series production.
- Thermomoulding (Vertical Injection Moulding) Proprietary vertical injection thermomoulding process producing complex parts in amorphous alloy with ±10µm precision and surface finish Ra < 0.4 µm directly from the mold. Suitable for pre-series, small, medium, and large production runs. Prevents crystalline structure formation by precisely controlling metal cooling rate.
- Overmolding Deposition of thin Vulkalloy layers (a few tenths of a millimeter) onto existing metal inserts, concentrating exceptional amorphous alloy properties only where needed while optimizing material consumption. Suitable for medium and large production runs.
- Machining Services Integrated machining capabilities for finishing amorphous alloy parts to required tolerances when thermomoulding precision alone is insufficient. 100% of melted material is utilized with zero waste; unused material is recyclable without contamination.
Quantifiable outcome
- 3x more resistant than titanium
- +9 more outcomes
Companies that use Vulkam
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Vulkam technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature7 records
Vulkam partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Thales Cryogenics BVcoreEuropean Space Agency Open Space Innovation Platform (OSiP) project collaboration to assess potential of amorphous metals in compact space cryocoolers. Project achieved 1.8x thermal conductivity improvement and 50%+ reduction in thermal parasitic losses.
- LynredcoreEuropean Space Agency Open Space Innovation Platform (OSiP) project collaboration alongside Thales Cryogenics to evaluate amorphous metals for space cryocooler efficiency improvement.
- IVAM Microtechnology NetworkminorInternational microtechnology network providing platform for Vulkam presentations at Compamed High Tech Forum. CEO Sébastien Gravier spoke about Vulkalloy Zr-Med at the forum.
- LAMPA LabminorR&D partnership focused on development of machining tools and cryogenic machining processes for Vulkalloys. Challenge is finding right cutting angles, cutting inserts, and identifying suitable cryogenic machining processes for innovative materials.
- Medicalps ClustercoreOfficial partner of Medicalps since March 2019, included in official supplier catalogue for medical industry in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Medicalps is a major industrial cluster for medical technologies.
- SofradircoreCo-development contract signed for development of amorphous metal applications in space-related technologies. Sofradir is a leading company in infrared detection technology.
- SIMAP LaboratorycoreOver 30 years of fundamental research at SIMAP laboratory (Science and Engineering of Materials and Processes), a European leader in metallurgy, forms the scientific foundation of Vulkam's technology. Company emerged from this scientific ecosystem of Grenoble.
- SATT LinksiumcoreSATT Linksium is a structure specializing in supporting start-ups, helping founders with business development, network building, and accessing services. Played key role in Vulkam's formation and early development.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Vulkam competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- EOS GmbH: EOS is a German-based global leader in industrial metal and polymer 3D printing, offering direct metal laser sintering systems. They represent a broad incumbent in metal AM with potential to compete in precision industrial applications where Vulkam currently operates.
- Carpenter Technology Corporation: Carpenter Technology is a US-based producer of specialty alloys including high-strength stainless steels, titanium alloys, and engineered materials. They serve medical, aerospace, and industrial markets with established specialty alloy offerings that compete with Vulkam's amorphous alloys in similar end-use applications.
- Velo3D: Velo3D is a US-based metal additive manufacturing company focused on producing complex metal parts for aerospace and industrial customers. While their technology is laser powder-bed fusion rather than amorphous alloys, they target the same high-end industrial precision parts market as Vulkam.
- Desktop Metal: Desktop Metal is a US-based metal 3D printing company with production systems targeting industrial volume manufacturing of metal parts. While they use bound metal deposition and other AM technologies rather than amorphous alloys, they compete for the same industrial customers seeking innovative metal part production methods.
- Markforged: Markforged is a US-based metal and composite 3D printing company offering industrial additive manufacturing platforms. While focused on printing equipment rather than amorphous alloys, Markforged represents a broader incumbent in the metal AM space that could expand into Vulkam's territory with future material developments.
- Materion Corporation: Materion is a US-based specialty materials manufacturer producing advanced alloys, beryllium products, and precious metals. They serve aerospace, medical, and industrial customers with high-performance materials, overlapping with Vulkam's target markets in medical devices and precision industrial components.
Direct peers
- Liquidmetal Technologies: Liquidmetal Technologies is a US-based pioneer in amorphous metal alloy parts production, holding foundational IP in bulk metallic glass formulations. They target similar high-precision applications including medical devices, aerospace components, and luxury goods, making them a direct technology and market peer to Vulkam.
- Exmet AB: Exmet is a Swedish company specializing in amorphous metal components and 3D printing of metallic glasses. They serve comparable industrial customers requiring high-strength, precision metal parts and compete directly with Vulkam in the niche of BMG component manufacturing.
- Heraeus AMLOY: Heraeus AMLOY is a German-based specialist in amorphous alloys and the most direct competitor to Vulkam. Both companies develop and produce bulk metallic glass (BMG) components for industrial applications, with overlapping target markets in precision components and similar technology positioning around amorphous metal parts manufacturing.
Emerging players
- Taniobis (JX Nippon Mining & Metals): Taniobis is a specialist in niobium-based materials and powders for additive manufacturing and specialty applications. They overlap with Vulkam's Vulkalloy Nb Med biocompatible alloy in the medical device vertical and represent an emerging competitor in niobium-containing specialty alloys.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Vulkam social profiles
Digital presenceVulkam compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Vulkam financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Vulkam leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Vulkam funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors11 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Vulkam M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Vulkam
What does Vulkam do?
Vulkam develops, formulates, and manufactures precision parts from proprietary amorphous metal alloys marketed under the Vulkalloys® brand, using a patented vertical injection thermomoulding process. The company delivers end-to-end services from co-development and design engineering through prototyping (first parts in 6 weeks) to mass production of small, complex metal components with ±10µm precision and surface finish Ra < 0.4 µm directly from the mold.
Is Vulkam a public or private company?
Vulkam is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Vulkam founded?
Vulkam was founded in 2017. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Vulkam based?
Vulkam is headquartered in Saint-martin-d'heres, France, in the Europe region.
How does Vulkam make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Thermomoulding Manufacturing is the primary driver. The others are prototyping from Preforms, engineering Office Services and overmolding Services.
Who are Vulkam's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are EOS GmbH, Carpenter Technology Corporation, Velo3D, Desktop Metal, Markforged and Materion Corporation. Direct peers are Liquidmetal Technologies, Exmet AB and Heraeus AMLOY. Taniobis (JX Nippon Mining & Metals) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Vulkam have an API?
No public API is recorded for Vulkam.
What industry is Vulkam in?
Vulkam's product category is Advanced Metallurgy Components. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHADAG, Additive Manufacturing for Metals (Metal 3D Printers & Post-Processing), with a secondary code of IMAAAFAA, Concept & Industrial Design Prototyping (Additive). Its NAICS code is 332117 and its SIC code is 3490.