Fiber Elements, a Vienna-based startup specializing in automated basalt fiber manufacturing, today announced it has raised 2.6 million in seed funding. The round was led by LEA Partners, with participation from the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund, as the company aims to scale its sustainable alternative to steel-reinforced concrete.

Founded in 2023 by architect and materials innovator Wolfgang Fiel, Fiber Elements has developed proprietary technology for the fully automated production of 3D basalt fiber structures. The startup s solution dramatically reduces the carbon footprint of construction while outperforming traditional reinforcement materials in strength-to-weight ratio and recyclability.

Developed in collaboration with leading Austrian research institutions like Technical University of Leoben (MUL), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), and TU Wien, the technology merges finite element analysis with advanced digital manufacturing to produce mineral composites three times stronger than steel and two-thirds lighter.

In a construction industry valued at US$1.79 trillion in 2025 and facing intensifying pressure to decarbonize, Fiber Elements' basalt-concrete solution offers up to 70% CO2 emission reduction compared to conventional steel reinforcement. With non-corrosive properties and full recyclability, basalt fiber enables closed-loop material use, a key advantage as global regulations tighten around sustainability.

Fiber Elements is uniquely positioned to reverse decades of stagnating productivity in construction, said Nils Seele, Partner at LEA Partners. Its solution could become the industry standard for next-gen sustainable reinforcement scaling across infrastructure, tunnels, bridges, and prefab systems.

This is deep tech innovation with real impact potential, added Vera Kunz, Investment Associate at Amadeus APEX. Wolfgang s cross-disciplinary approach gives the company a strong edge in reshaping how we build in a decarbonizing world.

The startup has already completed multiple pilot projects and currently serves five active customers. It holds one granted patent, with several more applications filed in 2025. The new capital will drive industrial-scale production, grow the team from 10 to 20 employees, and further automate the digital workflow, including AI-supported optimization.

Looking ahead, Fiber Elements plans to deploy modular nano-factories for on-site production, significantly reducing logistics emissions and accelerating access to prefabricated, sustainable components.

This is a paradigm shift, said Wolfgang Fiel, CEO and Founder. We re not just improving traditional materials we re building a new category of high-performance, sustainable components that the industry urgently needs.

The company has gained early recognition through the Deep Tech Seed award from Austria Wirtschaftsservice (AWS) and its inclusion in the EIT Manufacturing Venture Building Programme 2025, supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT).

Source: fiber-elements.com