IonKraft secures €3.5M equity funding to fuel circular economy in packaging.

Aachen-based startup IonKraft has raised an equity financing round of € 3.5M. The round was co-led by M Ventures and TechVision Fund and joined by High-Tech-Gründerfonds. The capital will be used to prepare the market entry and scale production.

IonKraft develops plasma-based barrier coatings that can replace non-recyclable barrier solutions for the packaging industry. The company is a a spin-off of RWTH Aachen University.

In 2023, IonKraft received funding from the renowned European EIC Accelerator program, enabling the company to develop its industrial machine and prepare for market launch. The first industrial coating system is on track for customer deployment by year-end.

"This financing round is a decisive step to support the market launch of our technology and to prepare for future scaling. We are thrilled to have a diverse group of investors who share our vision and will provide us with support on multiple levels," said Benedikt Heuer, Co-Founder of IonKraft.

Nils Lang, Investment Manager at HTGF, commented: “We are excited to support IonKraft in their market roll-out and expansion. Their solution addresses strong market demand and aligns with the current momentum of change. With an excellent team and an outstanding track record, we are confident they are well-prepared for any challenges that may lie ahead.” 

With the additional funding, IonKraft plans to expand its team and scale the production of coating machines.

Owen Lozman, Managing Director of M Ventures, shared: “IonKraft’s innovative coating is appealing for a variety of reasons: it provides an alternative to PFAS, which is being regulated, glass, which is prone to breakage or requires secondary packaging, and has the potential to maximize recycled content in future plastic packaging solutions.”