OSSTEC’s Bone-Like 3D Printed Implants Get £2.5M to Target US Market

A spinout from Imperial College London is rethinking joint replacements, backed by £2.5 million ($3.3 million) in fresh funding.

Medtech startup OSSTEC says it is 3D printing implants that behave more like real bone than traditional metal implants. The new investment will help launch its first clinical trial in the UK and seek regulatory approval in the US. If all goes according to plan, patients could soon benefit from joint replacements that are easier to implant, last longer, and help them stay active well into old age.

“This is our go-to-market investment round. These funds will enable us to get regulatory approval in the U.S., carry out our first surgeries in the UK, and earn our first revenues across the Atlantic,” said OSSTEC founder and CEO Maxwell Munford, who holds a PhD in additive manufacturing for medical engineering and trained as a mechanical engineer at Imperial College.

Founded in 2021 out of a PhD research project in Imperial’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, OSSTEC has grown from a lab idea to a funded startup, with a growing team of engineers and surgeons. The company raised £1.2 million in seed funding in 2023, but this new round more than doubles that amount.

What makes OSSTEC different is its 3D printed lattice implant design, engineered to behave more like real bone than the solid metal implants typically used in joint replacements. Using a patented additive manufacturing (AM) process, OSSTEC creates porous titanium implants, similar to the natural structure of bone. At the point where the implant meets the bone, also known as the interface, the material is up to 90% porous. This sponge-like texture gives real bone a place to grow into, helping the implant stay in place more securely and reducing the risk of failing over time.

Ultimately, the aim is to make surgery simpler, lower the risk of complications, and improve how the implant integrates with the body. OSSTEC is beginning with partial knee replacements as its first clinical application.

OSSTEC’s lead surgeon, Alex Liddle, is based in the UK, where he works at St Mary’s and Charing Cross Hospitals as part of the country’s National Health Service (NHS). Although his clinical base is in London, the company is looking westward. The US is its first commercial target, offering a more flexible regulatory path for startups, plus a much larger market.

“The U.S. is where a lot of the value is for a company like ours,” said Munford.

Some investors in this round were first introduced to OSSTEC through Imperial’s San Francisco Venture Trek, a startup networking program that connects founders with international investors and mentors. That early connection, Munford said, helped spark the latest round.

The £2.5 million investment was led by Empirical Ventures, a deep-tech VC firm based in the UK. Co-founder Johnathan Matlock said OSSTEC stood out not just for the tech, but for its real-world potential.

“The company has huge potential to completely reform best practices in this field of healthcare, with an impressive team of scientists pushing the boundaries of engineering and medical research,” he said.

Although OSSTEC wants to grow in the US, it’s staying connected to its roots. The company’s engineering team still works from Imperial’s Mechanical Engineering labs, a setup Munford says brings real benefits.

“There are a lot of benefits in having research and commercialisation teams side-by-side,” explains Munford. “We get to have interesting conversations with the academic researchers, which you don’t typically have as a product-focused startup, and researchers and students get to see the process of taking a medical product to market.”

As OSSTEC matures, Munford hopes to give back by sponsoring PhDs and continuing to collaborate with Imperial researchers. Munford is also involved in the startup community. He helps run the Imperial Founders’ Round Table, a group that meets every few months so founders can share tips on things like funding, hiring, and rules.

“When you build a strong ecosystem, as has happened with the Enterprise Lab, then every success helps make new successes,” he said.

Ben Mumby-Croft, Director of Entrepreneurship at Imperial’s Enterprise Lab, agrees: “OSSTEC’s journey is a brilliant example of the kind of entrepreneurial venture we strive to support — one that translates world-class research into real-world impact.”

Images courtesy of Imperial College London.