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f3nice
Techstars '21Milan, IT · Founded 2020 · 12 employees on LinkedIn · 1 known investors
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f3nice develops and re-engineers advanced materials, focusing on recycling metal scrap into high-quality metal powders and wires (feedstock) for additive manufacturing. It also offers sustainability assessment (LCA), circular design, consulting, and training services to companies adopting additive manufacturing.
Also known as F3nice
Investors · 1
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Company profile
researched Sep 2026f3nice is an Italian innovative start-up, operating between Italy and Norway, that produces feedstock for metal additive manufacturing from 100% recycled metal scrap. The company positions itself as a circular-economy ecosystem for AM feedstock production, selecting and treating scrap metal and decommissioned parts and processing them into metal powders that are used as input for 3D printing processes. According to the founders, the resulting powder matches the quality of standard products on the market while delivering an average 70% energy saving and 90% CO2 saving.
The company's stated aim is to reduce the environmental and resource impact of 3D printing by lowering the input of virgin materials and the associated energy and CO2 emissions, and to help customers lower their carbon footprint as they pursue net-zero targets. Its origin concept was drawn from the decommissioning of offshore oil and gas assets in the North Sea, where high-value alloys can be recovered and re-processed without passing through the full conventional value chain, in combination with digital inventory, on-demand and just-in-time spare-part production models. The company name references the phoenix, reflecting the idea of giving new life to scrap metal.
Founding story
The idea originated in 2019 from Luisa Elena Mondora, who considered taking material from the decommissioning of old oil and gas assets and converting it into powder without going through the entire value chain. She contacted Matteo Vanazzi, a university friend from their shared bachelor's studies in materials engineering and later a researcher with a master's degree and PhD, and the two developed the concept during the COVID-19 lockdown period. The company was founded in May 2020.
Business model
f3nice markets itself as a producer of sustainable metal powder for 3D printing, selling recycled-scrap-derived feedstock to additive manufacturing users.
▸Full profile — market position, technology, go-to-market, geography, history, risks & controversies
Market position
Positioned within the additive manufacturing feedstock market as a supplier of recycled-scrap metal powder, addressing sustainability in metal manufacturing; f3nice was selected as 3Dnatives' start-up of the month in November 2022.
The founders describe the process of producing powder from 100% scrap as the company's competitive advantage over competitors, supported by intellectual property protection and by the co-founders' materials engineering, steel and metallurgy expertise.
Technology
The core of the process is the sourcing, careful selection and treatment of scrap material so it is suitable for atomisation without chemical contamination that would introduce impurities into the resulting powder, together with the definition of the correct mix of waste for optimal atomisation. Part of the value of metal waste from the manufacturing sector is recovered through up-cycling and regeneration of virgin powder. The company states it has filed patent applications at Italian, European and international level.
Go-to-market
Users of metal additive manufacturing seeking feedstock with a lower carbon footprint, with the founding concept oriented toward the oil and gas sector and the decommissioning of offshore assets.
Geography
Based in Milan, Italy, with operations described as spanning Italy and Norway.
History
Founded in Italy in May 2020, f3nice joined the Equinor & Techstars Energy Accelerator in Oslo in 2021, having been selected from about 440 applicants across roughly 44 countries; the programme was held remotely. During the accelerator the founders met Philip Hansteen, then working with Equinor, who joined as a third team leader, and the company became a Norwegian-Italian venture.
Risks & controversies
The company states that its process depends on careful sourcing and treatment of scrap to avoid chemical contamination and impurities in the powder, and that protection of its intellectual property is of paramount importance, with patent applications filed rather than granted rights reported.
Compiled by commissioned research from 5 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Timeline · 2
launches, deals, and filingsf3nice was profiled as 3Dnatives' start-up of the month in its #3DStartup series.
f3nice entered the Equinor & Techstars Energy Accelerator, selected from about 440 applicants from roughly 44 countries; the remotely held programme provided cash and market access and led to Philip Hansteen joining the team.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
▸Research sources · 5
primary sources listed
- F3nice | EU-Startupseu-startups.com · web
5 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does f3nice do?
- Italian-Norwegian startup producing metal powder feedstock for additive manufacturing from 100% recycled metal scrap.
- Who are f3nice's investors?
- f3nice's investors include Techstars.
- Where is f3nice headquartered?
- f3nice is headquartered in Milan, IT.