Austrian-based Fiber Elements, a startup specialising in automated basalt fiber manufacturing for the construction industry, has raised €2.6 million in seed funding.
Fiber Elements, founded in 2023 by architect-turned-entrepreneur Wolfgang Fiel, has developed breakthrough technology for fully automated production of three-dimensional basalt fiber structures, providing a sustainable alternative to steel-reinforced concrete.
Its technology has been brought to market in collaboration with the Technical University of Leoben (MUL), the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), and the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien).
The company combines finite element analysis with advanced manufacturing to produce mineral composites that are three times stronger than steel and two-thirds lighter.
Wolfgang Fiel, Founder and CEO of Fiber Elements, commented:
Having spent my career focused on sustainable materials - both in research and real-life applications, I recognised the extraordinary potential of combining basalt's natural properties with a holistic design to manufacturing approach. This funding enables us to transition from successful pilots to industrial scale, positioning us to become a global champion in basalt fiber applications. The technology represents a genuine paradigm shift – we're not just improving existing materials, we're creating an entirely new category of high-performance, sustainable building components that the industry desperately needs.
The global hardware and building materials market is a major industry facing increasing pressure to reduce its carbon footprint. Fiber Elements' basalt-concrete solutions directly tackle this issue, cutting CO₂ emissions by up to 70 per cent compared to traditional steel reinforcement while maintaining superior performance characteristics. Unlike steel, basalt fibers resist corrosion and can be fully recycled at the end of their lifecycle.
The round was led by LEA Partners alongside the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund.
Nils Seele, Partner at LEA Partners, believes that the key drivers behind generation-defining companies are timing and the strength of the team:
In Fiber Elements, I’ve found an exceptional team poised to industrialise basalt in a way that could rewrite the Construction Eroom’s Law. As the sector grapples with regulatory complexity, rising material costs, and sluggish adoption of innovation, Fiber Elements is uniquely positioned to reverse decades of stagnating productivity. Its solution has the potential to become the industry standard for next-generation, sustainable reinforcement—scaling rapidly across infrastructure, tunnels, bridges, and prefabricated systems.
According to Vera Kunz, Investment Associate at the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund, the construction sector is ready for major transformation, and Fiber Elements exemplifies the kind of deep tech innovation capable of transforming market segments and significantly reducing emissions in one of the most carbon-intensive industries. She added:
Wolfgang's unique background bridging architecture, materials science, and digital manufacturing gives the company a distinctive competitive advantage. We see tremendous potential for this technology to become the new standard for sustainable construction materials, with applications extending far beyond the current pilot phase into nano-factories and on-site production capabilities.
The company has successfully completed pilot projects and is already serving five customers, holding one granted patent with several more applications submitted in 2025. With the new funding, it aims to accelerate industrial scaling, double its team from 10 to 20 employees by the end of the year, and further develop full automation of its digital workflow through AI-driven optimisation.
Looking ahead, the company plans to deploy nano-factories for on-site production, significantly cutting transport costs and environmental impact while making sustainable, prefabricated concrete components more accessible across the construction industry.
Fiber Elements has secured recognition through the Deep Tech Seed financing award from Austria Wirtschaftsservice (AWS) and participation in the EIT Manufacturing Venture Building Programme 2025, supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.
Lead image: Fiber Elements, Automated fiber processing | Photo: Uncredited
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