Nanoscribe Finds a New Home with LAB14 After Being Sold by BICO

Nanoscribe has officially become part of the LAB14 Group after being sold by BICO for €26 million. This sale was part of BICO’s strategic plan to focus on life sciences, leaving Nanoscribe to find a better fit under LAB14’s expertise in micro- and nanotechnology. As part of LAB14, Nanoscribe is getting ready to expand its industrial and academic market presence.

BICO sold Nanoscribe to focus more on life sciences. CEO Maria Forss explained that while Nanoscribe is a profitable and stable business, its primary market lies outside the life sciences sector, making it a non-core asset. The sale, which generated a 10% profit compared to its book value, also helped reduce BICO’s long-term debt, which includes loans and bonds that the company owes.

Nanoscribe has been a strategic asset since its acquisition by BICO in 2021, playing a key role in bioconvergence strategies, especially in miniaturized 3D printing for medical applications, like creating scaffolds for tissue engineering, microneedles and tools for advanced biological research. Now, LAB14 offers Nanoscribe a more suitable platform to develop its skills in fields like photonics, micro-optics, and industrial manufacturing.

Joining LAB14 means more than just a change in ownership for Nanoscribe. It connects the company with LAB14’s network of high-tech organizations specializing in micro- and nanotechnology. This creates new opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

Nanoscribe’s CEO, Martin Hermatschweiler, sees this as an opportunity to leverage LAB14’s resources: “We are honored to become part of the LAB14 Group, expand the technology footprint and to be able to jointly exploit the many synergies available to us within the Group. This strategic advantage puts us in a strong competitive position in academic as well as industrial markets, with the aim to serve the Group’s customers even better.”

Known for its two-photon polymerization (2PP) technology, Nanoscribe has pioneered high-resolution 3D printing. Over its 15-year history, the company has built a reputation for serving both industrial and academic markets. Its technology has created micro- and nanoscale structures used in areas like scientific microfabrication, bioprinting, and photonics. Some unique innovations include its Quantum X printer series, which has helped in the creation of optical components, cell scaffolds, and intricate biomedical tools.

Under LAB14, Nanoscribe seeks to broaden its reach, targeting industries such as microfluidics, MEMS, and biomedical engineering. LAB14’s support will allow Nanoscribe to boost its end-to-end solutions and strengthen its global service network. Together with Multiphoton Optics, another LAB14 subsidiary, Nanoscribe’s technology will help LAB14 explore new possibilities in microfabrication and high-precision manufacturing.

“The addition of Nanoscribe to the LAB14 family strengthens our expertise in 3D printing and opens up new opportunities for all companies in the group. We are now even better positioned to advance our goals together,” said LAB14 CEO Martin Wynaendts van Resandt.

Even before its transition to LAB14, Nanoscribe had established itself as a leader in photonics and optical communication. Its 2PP Quantum X align won the ECOC Industry Award in 2024 being the most innovative product in the “Chip-Scale Packaging/Optical Sub-Assembly” category. With lateral alignment accuracy down to 100 nanometers, the Quantum X align is vital for creating optical components used in industries that demand “unmatched accuracy.”

As a subsidiary of RSBG SE, LAB14 now benefits from the support of a German investment company focused on driving innovation in high-tech sectors such as manufacturing, robotics, and automation. RSBG SE is wholly owned by the RAG Foundation, which finances Germany’s transition away from hard coal mining while funding initiatives in science, education, and culture. Nanoscribe’s addition aligns with these goals, reinforcing the group’s position as a global leader in high-tech manufacturing solutions. For both companies, this move is a step toward achieving their respective goals in the evolving landscape of 3D printing and microfabrication.