TERA-Print
TERA-print develops and sells desktop nanofabrication instruments (TERA-Fab E series and Elite series) based on patented beam pen lithography, serving university and corporate research laboratories working in bioengineering, microfluidics, sensing, and nanoelectronics.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersSkokie, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What TERA-Print does
TERA-print, LLC is a privately held nanotechnology instrumentation company founded in 2015 and headquartered in Evanston, Illinois, that develops and commercializes large-area desktop nanofabrication tools for university and corporate research laboratories. The company is the first and only commercializer of beam pen lithography (BPL), a novel photolithographic approach that uses a massively parallel array of apertured probes combined with a Digital Light Processing (DLP) module to independently control hundreds of thousands of microbeams of light in parallel, achieving sub-diffraction-limit resolution (<250 nm) without requiring a vacuum and with broad, wavelength-agnostic material compatibility. Its product portfolio consists of two instrument lines: the TERA-Fab E series 2.0, the first commercial BPL tool, offering dual-mode operation spanning sub-250 nm BPL and >1.25 µm maskless photolithography with automated alignment and the eOS software platform; and the TERA-Fab Elite series, a large-area maskless photolithography system using DLP projection optics with a vacuum chuck for samples up to 4 inches in diameter and the eliteOS control software.
TERA-print monetizes primarily through direct, quote-based hardware sales of TERA-Fab instruments governed by negotiated Purchase Schedules, with delivery DAP to the buyer's facility, professional on-site installation, and one year (365 Business Days) of initial training and support bundled in; post-warranty support may be billed separately. The go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales with event- and content-driven demand generation centered on peer-reviewed publications enabled by the instruments. The company's Terms and Conditions include an Academic Use Restriction, limiting use to scientific and academic purposes, and the customer base is segmented horizontally across bioengineering, microarray fabrication, electronics and nanoelectronics, biosensing, microfluidics, and highly multiplexed photochemistry research applications. Underlying intellectual property is protected by U.S. Patents 9,021,611 B2 and US10459004B covering the TERA-Fab E series and by pending applications (PCT/US2020/024633; 13/202,142; 16/465,605) on liquid masks for microfabrication processes, with TERA-print and TERA-Fab held as registered trademarks.
The company is founder-led by Chad A. Mirkin (Founder) and Dr. Andrey Ivankin (Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer), supported by a small team of roughly 8 individuals including PhD research scientists, an instrument engineer, and a hardware-software engineer spanning bioprinting, biosensing, optics, and automation disciplines. TERA-print's only disclosed funding event is a $225,000 award from the National Science Foundation in June 2016; no institutional equity financing, M&A activity, or revenue figures have been disclosed in the available sources, and the company operates with 1-10 employees and a global research-user base.
TERA-Print firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TERA-Print
- Legal name
- TERA-print, LLC
- Website
- https://teraprint.us
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- TERA-print develops and sells desktop nanofabrication instruments (TERA-Fab E series and Elite series) based on patented beam pen lithography, serving university and corporate research laboratories working in bioengineering, microfluidics, sensing, and nanoelectronics.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
TERA-Print industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Scientific Nanofabrication Instruments
- NAICS
- Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing (333242)
- SIC
- Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lithography Equipment (DUV/EUV) (HDAHAEAA)
Keywords
Where TERA-Print is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Skokie
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
TERA-Print business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Scientific Instruments Sales: TERA-print sells TERA-Fab E series and Elite series nanofabrication instruments. Sales are governed by Purchase Schedules with detailed terms including pricing, installation, and payment terms. Products include Primary Products (main instruments) and additional products sold after initial installation.
- Installation and Support Services: The company provides installation services for Primary Products within 10 days of receiving payment deposit. Initial support and training are provided following installation, included for up to 365 Business Days (1 year). After the first year, support for damage not caused by Seller may be charged, including travel and visa expenses.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom pricing through Purchase Schedules |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
TERA-Print product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TERA-print manufactures and sells desktop nanofabrication instruments based on its proprietary beam pen lithography (BPL) technology. The product line includes the TERA-Fab E series 2.0, which delivers sub-diffraction resolution below 250 nm through massively parallel probe arrays, and the TERA-Fab Elite series, a large-area maskless photolithography system with DLP projection optics. Both instruments are targeted at universities and corporate research laboratories working in bioengineering, microfluidics, sensing, nanoelectronics, and photochemistry.
Product overview
TERA-Print is the first and only company to commercialize beam pen lithography (BPL) technology for nanofabrication. The product portfolio consists of two distinct instrument lines: the TERA-Fab E series (first commercial BPL tool, now in version 2.0) offering high-resolution sub-diffraction limit patterning (<250 nm) with massively parallel probe arrays; and the TERA-Fab Elite series providing large-area maskless photolithography with DLP projection optics (>1.25 µm resolution). Both series share a common advanced light engine platform with multiwavelength LED options and are designed for research applications in bioengineering, microfluidics, sensing, electronics, and nanochemistry.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- TERA-Fab E series: High-resolution maskless photolithography tool, the first commercial beam pen lithography (BPL) tool with sub-diffraction limit to micro scale resolution (250 nm to over 100 μm).
- TERA-Fab Elite series
Products and services
- TERA-Fab E series 2.0 High-resolution maskless photolithography instrument that operates in two modes: beam pen lithography (BPL) for sub-diffraction resolution below 250 nm, or maskless photolithography mode for microscale resolution above 1.25 µm. Features an advanced LED light engine spanning UV to visible wavelengths, automated alignment with real-time force feedback, and eOS control software. Sold to universities and corporate research labs for nanofabrication prototyping.
- TERA-Fab Elite series Large-area maskless photolithography instrument with DLP projection optics achieving single mirror projection down to greater than 1.25 µm over areas up to mm² in a single print. Includes multi-wavelength LED options (UV to visible), a vacuum chuck sample holder for samples up to 4 inches in diameter, automated alignment, and eliteOS software. Marketed to research laboratories requiring large-area maskless patterning.
- Installation and Support Services Professional installation, on-site setup, and initial training delivered to buyers of TERA-Fab instruments. After the first year, additional support for damage not caused by the seller (including travel and visa expenses) is billable. Serves academic and corporate research customers globally with both on-site and virtual assistance.
Quantifiable outcome
- Patterning time of 28 minutes for 3.84 mm x 5.12 mm area with 25 μm pen array spacing and 800 nm feature size
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use TERA-Print
Customer profileSegments7 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
TERA-Print technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
TERA-Print partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
TERA-Print competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Heidelberg Instruments: Heidelberg Instruments manufactures direct-write maskless lithography and nano/microfabrication systems (e.g., µMLA, DWL) for research and production. Most direct competitor to TERA-Print in maskless optical lithography for research labs, targeting overlapping academic and R&D customer base.
- Nanoscribe (BICO): Nanoscribe makes two-photon polymerization-based 3D micro/nano printers (Quantum X, Photonic Professional) used in research for micro-optics, microfluidics and tissue engineering. Closely comparable to TERA-Print's E series for high-resolution nanoscale additive fabrication in academic settings.
- Durham Magneto Optics: Durham Magneto Optics produces the ML3 direct-write laser lithography tool for maskless patterning at micron-scale resolution. Direct peer serving the same desktop nanofabrication research market as TERA-Fab Elite series.
- Raith GmbH: Raith manufactures electron-beam lithography and nanofabrication systems (e.g., EBPG, VOYAGER) used in research and pilot production. Overlaps with TERA-Print in nanofabrication tooling for nanoelectronics and photonics research at universities and corporate R&D.
Broad incumbents
- JEOL: JEOL supplies electron beam lithography and nanofabrication instruments (e.g., JBX series) plus a broad portfolio of electron microscopes. Larger incumbent whose e-beam tools address similar research applications (sub-100nm patterning) at higher price points and throughput.
- ASML: ASML is the dominant manufacturer of DUV/EUV lithography systems for high-volume semiconductor fabs. While targeting commercial fabs rather than desktop research tools, ASML anchors the lithography equipment category in which TERA-Print competes at the research-scale end.
- Thorlabs: Thorlabs is a large photonics and optics supplier with a growing portfolio of optomechanical, microscopy and instrumentation products. Comparable as an optics-based research-instrument vendor serving the same university and corporate photonics labs as TERA-Print.
- Bruker Nano Surfaces: Bruker manufactures atomic force microscopes, optical profilers and nanoindentation tools for research and industrial metrology. Adjacent in nanoinstrumentation for academic research labs, with overlapping customer profile in materials and life sciences.
Emerging players
- Intelligent Micro Patterning: Intelligent Micro Patterning makes mask aligners and micro-scale UV lithography systems for MEMS, microfluidics and bio applications. Comparable desktop-class lithography tool serving the same bioengineering/microfluidics segments as TERA-Print.
Others
- MicroChem (Kayaku Advanced Materials): MicroChem/Kayaku Advanced Materials produces photoresists and ancillary chemicals used in photolithography processes, including those run on TERA-Fab systems. Ecosystem-adjacent supplier enabling TERA-Print's workflows rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
TERA-Print social profiles
Digital presenceTERA-Print compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
TERA-Print financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TERA-Print leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
TERA-Print funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TERA-Print 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 TERA-Print
What does TERA-Print do?
TERA-print manufactures and sells desktop nanofabrication instruments based on its proprietary beam pen lithography (BPL) technology. The product line includes the TERA-Fab E series 2.0, which delivers sub-diffraction resolution below 250 nm through massively parallel probe arrays, and the TERA-Fab Elite series, a large-area maskless photolithography system with DLP projection optics. Both instruments are targeted at universities and corporate research laboratories working in bioengineering, microfluidics, sensing, nanoelectronics, and photochemistry.
Is TERA-Print a public or private company?
TERA-Print is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was TERA-Print founded?
TERA-Print was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is TERA-Print based?
TERA-Print is headquartered in Skokie, United States, in the North America region.
How does TERA-Print make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Scientific Instruments Sales are the primary driver. The others are installation and Support Services.
Who are TERA-Print's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Heidelberg Instruments, Nanoscribe (BICO), Durham Magneto Optics and Raith GmbH. Broad incumbents are JEOL, ASML, Thorlabs and Bruker Nano Surfaces. Intelligent Micro Patterning is listed as an emerging player. MicroChem (Kayaku Advanced Materials) is listed as an others.
Does TERA-Print have an API?
No public API is recorded for TERA-Print.
What industry is TERA-Print in?
TERA-Print's product category is Scientific Nanofabrication Instruments. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHAEAA, Lithography Equipment (DUV/EUV). Its NAICS code is 333242 and its SIC code is 3823.