German materials technology startup FibreCoat announced a successful Series B funding round, securing nearly 20 million euros ($21 million). NewSpace Capital and Goose Capital led the investment.
“With our latest round of investment, FibreCoat will apply the insights gained from terrestrial applications of our material to work with the space industry,” FibreCoat CEO Robert Brüll told SpaceNews by email. He highlighted applications including radiation shielding, temperature regulation, and reducing the weight of satellites.
Founded in 2020, FibreCoat's technology is based on patented methods for coating fibers with metals and plastics, developed at RWTH Aachen University’s Institute for Textile Technology. Their products “combine the properties of different materials in a single high-speed production step,” resulting in fibers that are “strong, conductive, recyclable and affordable,” according to Brüll.
While already serving automotive and construction sectors, FibreCoat aims to significantly expand its presence in space and defense. Brüll stated, “FibreCoat is keen to innovate, increase production and satisfy demand for basic building blocks for defense, space, automotive and other crucial sectors.” He emphasized the need for “affordable, high-performance materials” in electric vehicles and the demand for specialized yarns in defense applications.
Brüll also identified space as a “critically important sector,” noting that “both launchers and satellites increasingly need the coated fibers we develop to withstand harsh conditions” and electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Bogdan Gogulan, NewSpace Capital managing partner, commented, “FibreCoat is solving a major problem in the space industry, which is the exposure of spacecraft to radiation, heat, EMI and other conditions.”