As sugar consumption rises and dental visits become increasingly expensive, nearly 3.5 billion people worldwide struggle with oral diseases. The dental industry faces mounting pressure to increase manufacturing efficiency, particularly in markets where centralized manufacturing is becoming the norm. Today, Novenda Technologies, a Dutch startup, announced that it has raised $6.1m in funding to transform dental product manufacturing with its multi-material 3D printing technology. This innovative solution aims to make high-quality dental care better, more aesthetically pleasing, accessible and affordable.
The $6.1m Series A funding round was led by Brightlands Venture Partners with participation from KBC Focus Fund (Belgium), Borski Fund (NL) and Limburg Business Development Fund/LIOF (NL) as well as a group of angel investors and an Innovation Credit from RVO.
Novenda Technologies was founded in 2019 by Klaas Wiertzema, Petra Doelman and Joost Anne Veerman following intensive market research and collaboration with dental professionals.
The founders conducted extensive consultations with dentists, dental technicians, and other stakeholders to develop the right solution for the market. By 2021, the company had installed its first printer at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, achieving its first multi-material print using its proprietary software and materials. This milestone marked the beginning of an intensive development process, leading to a successful proof of concept for nightguards and dentures in 2023.
The company’s full stack technology enables the manufacturing of more comfortable, natural-looking dental products that combine hard materials for protection with soft materials for comfort - all in a single piece. This represents a fundamental shift in dental product manufacturing.
While traditional methods require manual assembly and post-processing, the company’s platform combines multiple materials seamlessly in a single print run, using water-soluble supports that dissolve with a simple tap water wash.
Most significantly, Novenda Technologies has developed smart print modes that achieve precise layer control without mechanical rollers - a limitation that causes ink contamination and restricted colour capabilities in competing systems.
Klaas Wiertzema, CEO and co-founder of Novenda Technologies commented: “The combination of water-soluble support and the absence of mechanical interventions to compensate for imprecisions ensures unprecedented long-term accuracy and eliminates the need for extensive post-processing. This is particularly important in a world where dental technicians are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive.”
The timing of Novenda’s solution coincides with a significant shift in the dental industry. The workflow for producing dental prostheses is becoming increasingly digital, with oral scanners replacing manual impressions.
However, existing manufacturing techniques haven't kept pace with this digital transformation, often requiring substantial manual intervention. In several countries, this challenge is driving a trend toward centralized manufacturing facilities, where Novenda’s automated platform will have a huge impact.
Olga Goor, Investment Manager at Brightlands Venture Partners, added: "As lead investor, Brightlands Venture Partners is proud to support Novenda Technologies in this next phase of growth. Their multi-material jetting technology is a breakthrough in digital dentistry, enabling scalable, high-precision manufacturing with minimal waste and post-processing. This innovation not only sets a new quality standard for dental products but also enhances affordability of dental care for patients that are unable to afford alternatives currently available in the market. This will ultimately drive the transformation of the dental industry towards a more sustainable and equitable future."
Looking ahead, Novenda plans to expand its platform to other dental applications and eventually enter new markets where individualized mass manufacturing is key. The company's immediate focus is on deploying its technology in large and mid size dental labs across Europe and the US, where its high-throughput, automated solution can help meet growing demand.
