Robert kept going: “Terrestrial 3D printers typically use three motors and a fixed build area. By optimising the mechanism to fabricate a single geometry—a cylindrical beam—the system can be reduced to two motors…” Eyes were raised in confusion.

“…we're printing satellites in space.”

Every so often, serendipity strikes in the most unlikely moments. Robert was hovering around Entrepreneur First’s offices in Berlin, wearing a custom made jacket. Having already built the world’s first open-source resin 3D printer under $250 while in the University of Manchester, he landed a senior researcher position at Formlabs, the 3D printing unicorn. But he was now looking to move 3D printing from the ground up in the outer space. Jakub, on the other hand, was a proven operator: he had founded a manufacturing company that hit €8M in revenue in just three months, ranked 22nd fastest-growing in Europe by the Financial Times and fastest in Poland, and earned a Forbes 30 Under 30 nod. The jacket turned out to be Jakub’s design from his previous company. A shared passion for hardware and manufacturing sealed the conversation—and the foundation of Orbital Matter was laid.

The challenge they’re tackling is enormous. Building in space is not just about new tools—it’s about rewriting the rules of manufacturing. Three hurdles stand in the way: cooling in a vacuum (where heat radiates away painfully slowly), dealing with microgravity, and surviving ambient radiation. NASA research showed microgravity wasn’t a showstopper for their method, so the team focused on proving their tech could operate in a vacuum and endure space radiation. The result? A beam 3D printer using just one motor for both spinning and lifting, small and light enough to work in orbit, yet capable of printing structures of infinite length.

Their first major break came with a free slot aboard Ariane 6’s maiden flight in July 2024. With only four months to build a satellite—an absurdly tight schedule—they integrated their 3D printer payload into a standard CubeSat bus. The mission worked. Technology Readiness Level: 6.

Now comes the scale-up. In the next 6 months, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9, Orbital Matter will demonstrate a 2-meter beam printed directly in orbit—a pilot co-funded by Thales Alenia Space. In 2026, they aim to integrate the printer with deployable systems like solar panels or radiators, pushing the technology into full commercial readiness.

At Early Game Ventures, we invested €1 million in Orbital Matter because in-orbit manufacturing is the next frontier of the space economy. By enabling structures to be built in space rather than launched fully formed from Earth, Orbital Matter can reduce payload mass by 70% and launch volume tenfold. It’s a technological leap with massive implications: lighter rockets, cheaper missions, and entirely new ways to build in space.

We’re not just backing a company. We’re betting on the future of space infrastructure—and on two founders who have already proven they can turn improbable ideas into working machines. Orbital Matter is on track to change how humanity builds beyond Earth, and we’re proud to be along for the ride