LITHOZ GMBH

Their core work

Lithoz is a Vienna-based SME that develops and manufactures lithography-based ceramic additive manufacturing (AM) systems — essentially high-precision 3D printers for technical ceramics. Their technology enables the production of complex ceramic parts that are impossible or prohibitively expensive to make with traditional methods. Across H2020, they contributed ceramic AM expertise to projects spanning rare earth magnets, space propulsion components, biomedical implants, and particle physics detectors, demonstrating broad industrial applicability of their core platform. They also developed a lithography-based metal manufacturing (LMM) machine, extending their printing technology beyond ceramics.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early period (2015–2017), Lithoz contributed ceramic and advanced manufacturing capabilities to diverse industrial challenges — rare earth magnet production (REProMag), space propulsion components (Rheform), and complex structure fabrication (ToMax). From 2019 onward, a clear shift toward biomedical applications emerged: INKplant brought them into biomaterials and multi-material implant printing, while GraCerLit (which they coordinated) focused on functionally graded ceramics for dental and osteochondral applications. This evolution suggests a deliberate move from being a general-purpose AM technology provider toward higher-value biomedical and life-science markets.

Lithoz is pivoting from broad industrial AM applications toward biomedical ceramics — expect future work in personalized implants, dental prosthetics, and bio-compatible graded materials.

How they like to work

Lithoz primarily operates as a specialist partner (6 of 8 projects), contributing their proprietary ceramic AM technology to larger consortia. When they do coordinate, it is on focused projects close to their core competency — GraCerLit (graded ceramics) and LMM (metal printing machine). With 104 unique partners across 19 countries, they have an extensive network but appear to function as a sought-after technology provider rather than a consortium architect.

Lithoz has collaborated with 104 unique partners across 19 countries, indicating strong pan-European reach. Their partnerships span universities, research institutes, and industrial players across manufacturing, space, biomedical, and fundamental physics sectors.

What sets them apart

Lithoz occupies a rare niche as a commercial manufacturer of lithography-based ceramic 3D printing systems — a technology with very few competitors globally. Their ability to bridge fundamental research (particle physics detectors) and near-market applications (dental implants, space propulsion) from the same core platform makes them an unusually versatile manufacturing partner. For consortium builders, Lithoz brings not just a service but a proprietary technology that can unlock new fabrication possibilities across sectors.

Highlights from their portfolio

• INKplant
  Largest funding (EUR 406K) and most strategically significant — positions Lithoz in the high-growth biomedical implant market with multi-material inkjet printing.
• GraCerLit
  Coordinator role on a MSCA fellowship developing functionally graded ceramics — signals deep investment in next-generation ceramic AM research.
• ToMax
  Highest single-project funding (EUR 431K) focused on toolless manufacturing of complex structures, demonstrating industrial-scale ambitions for ceramic AM.