Volumetric
Volumetric is a Houston-based biomaterials and biofabrication company developing proprietary photocurable bioprinting materials (LAP, PEGDA, GelMA) for vascularized human tissue research. Founded in 2018, it was acquired by 3D Systems in fall 2021.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Volumetric does
Volumetric is an advanced biomaterials and biofabrication company headquartered in Houston, Texas. Founded in 2018, it built a portfolio of proprietary bioprinting materials — including LAP Photoinitiator, 3400 Da and 6000 Da PEGDA powders, and GelMA — that serve researchers and organizations developing vascularized human tissues and bioprinted constructs. The materials are supplied as sterile-filtered aqueous solutions and lyophilized powders suitable for photocurable bioprinting workflows.
In the fall of 2021, Volumetric was acquired by 3D Systems, and its team and technology became the foundation for 3D Systems' bioprinting facility in Houston. Post-acquisition, the materials portfolio is commercialized through 3D Systems' global catalog and channels rather than as standalone Volumetric SKUs. Pre-acquisition, the company had raised approximately $1.83 million in disclosed funding, participated in Y Combinator, and operated with 1-10 employees — indicating an R&D-stage venture whose commercial revenue depended on parent-company distribution.
The business model is fundamentally a materials IP and platform play: value is created through proprietary photocurable biomaterial formulations that integrate into 3D Systems' bioprinting systems and broader healthcare 3D printing portfolio. Customer concentration is institutional — targeting academic and commercial tissue-engineering programs and, post-integration, 3D Systems' existing medical-device, dental, and healthcare customer base — with go-to-market occurring through direct enterprise sales channels and the parent's established catalog infrastructure.
Volumetric firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Volumetric
- Legal name
- Volumetric Biotechnologies
- Website
- https://volumetricbio.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Acquired
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Volumetric is a Houston-based biomaterials and biofabrication company developing proprietary photocurable bioprinting materials (LAP, PEGDA, GelMA) for vascularized human tissue research. Founded in 2018, it was acquired by 3D Systems in fall 2021.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Volumetric industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bioprinting Materials
- NAICS
- Biological Product (except Diagnostic) Manufacturing (325414), Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing (3391), Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)
- akta.pro primary industry
- 3D Bioprinting & Biofabrication (HLAAAGAC)
Keywords
Where Volumetric is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Volumetric business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations
Revenue model
- Modular Housing Sales: VBC generates revenue through the sale of factory-manufactured modular housing units to government entities and developers. The company competes for municipal contracts and large-scale housing development projects.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels1 record
Volumetric product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Volumetric develops and supplies specialty biomaterials used in bioprinting and tissue engineering. Its portfolio includes photoinitiators (LAP), PEGDA polymers of varying molecular weights, and GelMA hydrogels that enable researchers to fabricate vascularized human tissues and bioprinted constructs. Following its acquisition by 3D Systems in fall 2021, the company's materials are now offered as part of 3D Systems' bioprinting materials catalog.
Product overview
Volumetric Biotechnologies, acquired by 3D Systems in fall 2021, operates as an acquired brand focused on bioprinting technology. The company serves as the foundation for 3D Systems' bioprinting facility in Houston, Texas, developing vascularized human tissues and bioprinted constructs. The product portfolio consists of bioprinting materials including LAP Photoinitiator, 3400 Da PEGDA powder, 6000 Da PEGDA powder, and GelMA (coming soon) — all offered as part of the 3D Systems materials catalog.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Volumetric Biotechnologies: Bioprinting technology division acquired by 3D Systems, focused on vascularized human tissues and bioprinted constructs.
Products and services
- LAP Photoinitiator Lithium phenyl-2,4,6-trimethylbenzoylphosphinate (LAP) Photoinitiator provided as a sterile-filtered aqueous solution for bioprinting applications; sold as part of the Volumetric team materials portfolio within 3D Systems.
- 3400 Da Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEGDA) 3400 Da Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) powder used as a biomaterial for bioprinting applications.
- 6000 Da Poly(ethylene glycol) (PEGDA) 6000 Da Poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) powder used as a biomaterial for bioprinting applications.
- GelMA Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) provided as a sterile-filtered aqueous solution for bioprinting applications. Currently listed as coming soon.
Companies that use Volumetric
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Volumetric technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Volumetric partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- City of PhiladelphiacorePhiladelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has proposed $10 million in her budget to attract a modular housing factory to the city. VBC responded to the city's Request for Information for modular housing factory development. This represents a potential major strategic partnership to establish manufacturing operations in Philadelphia.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
Volumetric competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Poietis: Poietis is a French bioprinting company developing laser-assisted bioprinting for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, with overlapping technology and customer focus though a narrower product line.
- Tissue Regeneration Systems: Tissue Regeneration Systems develops 3D-printed biodegradable scaffolds for bone and tissue regeneration; an emerging player in 3D-printed regenerative medicine with a more application-narrow focus than Volumetric.
Direct peers
- Allevi (acquired by 3D Systems): Allevi was a bioprinting startup (bioprinters and bioinks) acquired by 3D Systems in 2021 alongside Volumetric; it is a direct predecessor peer, operating in the same bioprinting hardware and materials category.
- regenHU: regenHU is a Swiss bioprinting systems and bioink manufacturer with a comparable product mix of bioprinters and biomaterial consumables targeting research and translational tissue engineering applications.
- BICO (CELLINK): BICO, parent of CELLINK, is the most direct competitor to Volumetric: a bioprinting platform company offering both bioprinters and a broad portfolio of bioinks (GelMA, PEG-based, collagen) and tissue culture consumables serving the same research customer base.
- Organovo Holdings: Organovo is a pioneering 3D bioprinting company focused on generating functional human tissues for research and therapeutic applications, directly comparable to Volumetric's vascularized tissue engineering focus.
- Aspect Biosystems: Aspect Biosystems develops microfluidic 3D bioprinting platforms and bioink materials for tissue engineering, operating in the same bioprinting/biomaterials category as Volumetric with overlapping customer segments in pharma and academic research.
- CollPlant Biotechnologies: CollPlant develops recombinant human collagen and bioinks for 3D bioprinting of tissues and organs, directly comparable to Volumetric's biomaterials portfolio and its role as a consumables supplier in bioprinting workflows.
Broad incumbents
- 3D Systems Corporation: 3D Systems is the parent of Volumetric Biotechnologies and a broad 3D printing incumbent whose healthcare/bioprinting division now houses the Volumetric technology — relevant as the parent platform and channel for Volumetric's materials.
- Stratasys: Stratasys is a broad 3D printing incumbent with healthcare and materials adjacencies; relevant as a peer in the parent-company category and a potential competitor in healthcare 3D printing materials and services.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights5 records
Customer concentration
Volumetric social profiles
Digital presenceVolumetric financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Volumetric leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Volumetric funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors13 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Volumetric 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 Volumetric
What does Volumetric do?
Volumetric develops and supplies specialty biomaterials used in bioprinting and tissue engineering. Its portfolio includes photoinitiators (LAP), PEGDA polymers of varying molecular weights, and GelMA hydrogels that enable researchers to fabricate vascularized human tissues and bioprinted constructs. Following its acquisition by 3D Systems in fall 2021, the company's materials are now offered as part of 3D Systems' bioprinting materials catalog.
Is Volumetric a public or private company?
Volumetric is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently acquired.
When was Volumetric founded?
Volumetric was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Volumetric based?
Volumetric is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Volumetric make money?
One revenue line is on record: modular Housing Sales.
Who are Volumetric's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Poietis and Tissue Regeneration Systems. Direct peers are Allevi (acquired by 3D Systems), regenHU, BICO (CELLINK), Organovo Holdings, Aspect Biosystems and CollPlant Biotechnologies. Broad incumbents are 3D Systems Corporation and Stratasys.
Does Volumetric have an API?
No public API is recorded for Volumetric.
What industry is Volumetric in?
Volumetric's product category is Bioprinting Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAGAC, 3D Bioprinting & Biofabrication. Its NAICS code is 325414 and its SIC code is 2836.