Symbios

What Symbios does

Symbios Orthopédie S.A. is a Swiss-based orthopedic implant manufacturer founded in 1989 in Morges and headquartered in Yverdon-les-Bains, Canton Vaud. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes custom-made and standardized hip and knee prostheses to orthopedic surgeons and healthcare institutions, reaching patients across 24 countries through five direct subsidiaries (Switzerland, France, Germany, Belgium, Australia) and a distributor network spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. Family-owned under second-generation CEO Florent Plé, Symbios pioneered custom-made orthopedic implants and has accumulated 35+ years of clinical experience.

The core product portfolio centers on the ORIGIN® individualized total knee arthroplasty system (available in posterior-stabilized and cruciate-retaining versions, monobloc and modular configurations) and INDIVIDUAL HIP™ custom hip prostheses, complemented by standardized hip and knee systems including HARMONY® Evolution, SPS®, SERENITY® dual mobility cup, APRIL® ceramic cup, and FIRST® knee. Individualized implants are designed from patient CT scans using proprietary 3D planning software (KNEE-PLAN®, HIP-PLAN®) and manufactured via 5-axis CNC milling and additive manufacturing (EOS) in a clean-room environment, with delivery on a just-in-time basis within weeks of order. The recently completed 12,000+ m² production facility provides fourfold capacity headroom relative to prior scale. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time device sales per surgical procedure, with planning software typically bundled into custom implant orders, plus professional services revenue from medical education programs including the annual ORIGIN® Meeting.

Symbios has cumulatively implanted over 40,000 ORIGIN® knees since commercial launch in 2018 and reports strong clinical outcomes (99.4% 3-5 year survival, 94.4% patient satisfaction vs. 83.6% for standard TKA). The business model is exclusively B2B, targeting orthopedic surgeons and hospital procurement through direct field sales, channel partners, and surgeon education. Distribution relies on direct subsidiaries in core Western European and Australian markets plus independent distributors in 19 additional countries. The company holds EU-MDR 2017/745 certification and ISO 13485:2016, and operates an online ordering platform (Symbios Connect) to support volume scaling.

Name

Symbios

Legal name

Symbios Orthopédie S.A.

Website

https://symbios.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Symbios Orthopédie S.A. is a Swiss orthopedic implant manufacturer founded in 1989 that designs and produces custom-made and standardized hip and knee prostheses, serving orthopedic surgeons and healthcare institutions across 24 countries via five direct subsidiaries and a distributor network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Orthopedic Implants

NAICS

Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113), Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112), Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing (3391)

SIC

Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Orthopedic Joint Reconstruction Implants (Hip/Knee/Shoulder/Elbow/Ankle) (HLAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

3D-Printed & Patient-Specific Implants (Custom Ortho/Spine/Cranial) (HLAHAEAJ), Surgical Navigation, Robotics & Patient-Matched Instrumentation (Ortho/Spine) (HLAHAEAL)

Keywords

• Custom orthopedic implants
• Individualized knee prosthesis
• Hip arthroplasty devices
• 3D preoperative planning
• Patient-specific surgical guides

Headquarters

HQ city

Yverdon-les-bains

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom-made Orthopedic Implants: Symbios designs and manufactures patient-specific hip and knee implants based on individual CT scan data. These are delivered to hospitals on a just-in-time basis within weeks of order placement. The revenue model is one-time device sales per procedure.
2. Standard Hip and Knee Implants: Symbios also offers standardized implant products including the HARMONY® Evolution hip system, SERENITY® dual mobility cup, APRIL® ceramic cup, SPS® stem, and FIRST® knee system.
3. Preoperative Planning Software and Services: The company provides 3D planning software (KNEE-PLAN®, HIP-PLAN®) as part of the surgical planning service, typically bundled with custom implant orders.
4. Medical Education and Training: Symbios provides training programs, surgeon visiting centers, and educational events including the annual ORIGIN® Meeting, which may include professional services revenue.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Symbios designs, manufactures, and distributes custom-made and standard orthopedic implants for hip and knee joint replacement, manufactured from individual patient CT scans using 3D modeling, CAD/CAM machining, and additive manufacturing. The portfolio includes the individualized ORIGIN® knee system and INDIVIDUAL HIP™ prosthesis, standard hip and knee lines (HARMONY® Evolution, SPS®, SERENITY®, APRIL®, FIRST®), and is supported by proprietary 3D planning software (KNEE-PLAN®, HIP-PLAN®) and the Symbios Connect ordering platform. Products are CE-marked under EU-MDR and manufactured in a clean-room facility in Yverdon-les-Bains, Switzerland.

Product overview

Symbios offers a comprehensive portfolio of orthopedic implant solutions comprising two main categories: individualized custom-made prostheses and standardized implants. The individualized product line centers on ORIGIN® (individualized knee system with PS and CR versions) and INDIVIDUAL HIP™ (custom hip prostheses), supported by proprietary 3D planning software including HIP-PLAN® and KNEE-PLAN® for preoperative planning. The standardized portfolio includes HARMONY® Evolution and SPS® stems for hip reconstruction, SERENITY® dual mobility cups, APRIL® ceramic cups, and FIRST knee prostheses. All products are manufactured in Switzerland at the Yverdon-les-Bains facility, with individualized implants produced on a just-in-time basis for delivery within weeks of order placement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ORIGIN: Individualized total knee arthroplasty (TKA) system with patient-specific implants and cutting guides, available in both posterior-stabilized (PS) and cruciate-retaining (CR) configurations.
• HARMONY
• INDIVIDUAL HIP
• SPS
• APRIL
• SERENITY
• KNEE-PLAN
• HIP-PLAN
• Symbios Connect

Products and services

• ORIGIN® Individualized Knee Prosthesis Custom-made total knee replacement system designed from each patient's CT scan to reproduce unique knee anatomy, alignment, and kinematics. Available in posterior-stabilized (PS) and cruciate-retaining (CR) versions, in both monobloc and modular tibial baseplate configurations. Used by orthopedic surgeons for total knee arthroplasty.
• INDIVIDUAL HIP™ Custom Hip Prosthesis Personalized hip prosthesis designed from 3D CT modeling to faithfully match the shape of the patient's femur, reproduce leg length, and restore muscular balance of the hip. For orthopedic surgeons performing total hip arthroplasty requiring patient-specific fit.
• HARMONY® Evolution Hip System Comprehensive system of cementless and cemented hip femoral stems with self-locking straight stem concept and modular neck technology. Provides optimized hip reconstruction options for routine surgical practice, for orthopedic surgeons performing standard hip arthroplasty.
• SERENITY® Dual Mobility Cup Dual mobility hip prosthesis cup incorporating 40 years of design experience from the dual mobility concept invented in France in the 1970s. Used by orthopedic surgeons for hip arthroplasty where enhanced stability is required.
• APRIL® Ceramic Cup Ceramic acetabular cup for hip prosthesis providing a ceramic-ceramic friction couple for hip reconstruction, intended for orthopedic surgeons seeking ceramic-on-ceramic articulation.
• SPS® Anatomical Femoral Stem Anatomical femoral stem for hip replacement, including Modular and Evolution variants. Designed as a 'custom-made stem for a normal femur' with 100% stem survival at 10 years demonstrated in clinical studies. For orthopedic surgeons performing standard hip arthroplasty.
• FIRST® Knee Prosthesis Knee prosthesis system developed in collaboration with CHUV Lausanne, available in fixed-bearing version, with individualized KNEE-PLAN® cutting guides. For orthopedic surgeons performing standard total knee arthroplasty.
• KNEE-PLAN® 3D Preoperative Planning Software and Cutting Guides 3D preoperative planning software and individualized single-use cutting guides for knee replacement. Enables surgeons to simulate implantation, determine implant sizes, and predict surgical outcomes with CT-based analysis. Includes single-use 3D-printed instrument sets for planned implant sizes, enabling precise bone cuts and prosthesis alignment.
• HIP-PLAN® 3D Preoperative Planning Software 3D preoperative planning software for hip prostheses that allows surgeons to simulate prosthesis implantation in 3D, determine implant sizes in advance, and predict final results. For orthopedic surgeons performing hip arthroplasty.
• Symbios Connect Ordering Platform Web-based platform that simplifies ordering of custom-made products and transmission of patient CT scans, enabling volume increases on an industrial scale. For healthcare providers and orthopedic surgeons ordering Symbios custom implants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.4% implant survival rate at 3-5 years follow-up
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• New Generation N.VcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 16 May 2023Symbios acquired its Belgian distributor New Generation N.V in May 2023 to increase investments and accelerate growth in Belgium. The acquisition converts Belgium from a distributor relationship to direct subsidiary operations, enabling expansion of Symbios' full hip and knee product portfolio.
• Jean-Pierre WillemscoreOthers · 16 May 2023Jean-Pierre Willems appointed General Manager Symbios Belgium & Luxembourg effective May 16th 2023. Prior experience includes 15+ years as General Manager for Zimmer Biomet Belgium & Luxembourg.
• University of LausanneminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Collaboration with University of Lausanne on 3D classification of proximal femur published in 1997, influencing hip implant design methodology.
• Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, ParisminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Research collaboration on 3D planning accuracy using HIP-PLAN® software, with publication in JBJS-Br in 2009.
• University of Aix-MarseilleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2009Long-standing collaboration including 15-year results publication of custom-made stem and 20-year follow-up study for patients under 50 years.
• Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV), LausanneminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Collaboration with orthopedic department of CHUV in Lausanne for development of the FIRST® knee prosthesis, launched commercially in 2006.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ConforMIS: ConforMIS (now restrategized as 'Restor3d') is the most direct comparable to Symbios, offering patient-specific knee replacement systems (iTKnee, iTotal) manufactured from CT-based 3D imaging — mirroring Symbios' ORIGIN value proposition.
• Medacta International: Swiss-founded orthopedic specialist with growing presence in personalized knee (GMK MyKnee) and hip solutions. Competes with Symbios in the individualized implant segment in Europe and globally, and serves as the closest geographic and product-line competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Zimmer Biomet: One of the world's largest orthopedic implant manufacturers, offering a broad hip and knee portfolio including patient-matched options (Persona). Competes head-to-head with Symbios in standardized hip/knee while pursuing customization — a direct competitive threat.
• Stryker: Global orthopedic leader following its acquisition of Wright Medical and MAKO Surgical. Competes across hip, knee, and surgical robotics with vast R&D and commercial reach, and is a key incumbent benchmark for any orthopedic investment.
• Smith & Nephew: Diversified medical device company with a sizable orthopedics franchise (hip and knee reconstruction). Competes broadly in European hospitals and increasingly pursues personalization through its Journey II and other platforms.
• DePuy Synthes (Johnson & Johnson): Orthopedics arm of Johnson & Johnson offering comprehensive hip and knee solutions including the Attune knee system. Largest peer by scale, with global commercial reach and growing investments in patient-specific instrumentation.

Emerging players

• Materialise: Belgian 3D printing specialist with a dedicated medical division offering personalized implants, surgical planning software, and patient-matched instrumentation — directly overlapping with Symbios' manufacturing technology and software stack.
• Bodycad: Canadian-based personalized orthopedic implant manufacturer with custom knee and hip offerings derived from CT imaging. A niche but credible direct competitor in the individualized joint replacement category.
• Corin: UK-headquartered orthopedic company specializing in hip implants and outcome-focused technologies. Comparable in scale and European footprint, with overlap in customized hip reconstruction.

Regional players

• Mathys (Mathys Ltd Bettlach): Swiss orthopedic specialist (also headquartered in Bettlach near Symbios) focused on hip, knee, and shoulder implants. Comparable as a regional, Swiss-based mid-market orthopedic company competing in similar European hospital channels.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key highlights3 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SymbiosOrtho
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/symbios-orthopedie-sa

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Symbios