MINIATURISED ACTUATOR ELEMENTS WITH SHAPE MEMORY ALLOYS

memetis GmbH

Company

memetis GmbH

Sector

Engineering

Founded

2017

Co-founder and Managing Director Dr. Marcel Gültig

‘Where other actuators reach the technological limits of miniaturisation, the solutions from memetis GmbH come into play.’

This philosophy characterises memetis, a deep-tech company based in Karlsruhe. With a clear focus on actuators made of shape memory alloys, memetis serves a range of industries, from life sciences and diagnostics to aerospace technology.

Technical insights

shape memory alloys explained

Shape memory alloys (SMA) are smart metals with a fascinating property. After a previous change in shape, the material ‘remembers’ its original shape when heated. Thus, the material can be used as a temperature-sensitive actuating element as well as an active switch through targeted energisation.

What makes it so special is that the material itself is the machine. In an ideal case, this means that no further components are needed and that very simple and compact systems can be realised. In addition, SMA actuators have the highest power density (power per volume) compared to other drive technologies and enable the construction of the smallest switching elements, which also require little electrical energy.
Thanks to these advantages, SMA drives are the perfect choice for compact and energy-efficient applications, for example in medical technology or in space.

Facts

01 MEMETIS IS A SPIN-OFF OF KIT

02 MEMETIS CREATES HIGHLY COMPACT SYSTEMS THAT ARE 4-5 TIMES SMALLER

03 MEMETIS MICROVALVES AND ACTUATORS HAVE ALREADY FLOWN MULTIPLE TIMES INTO SPACE

USP

WHAT MAKES MEMETIS SO UNIQUE?

Compared to other solutions on the market, memetis microvalves and actuators offer numerous advantages: they are highly compact, energy-efficient and can be individually adapted. Their proportional switching behaviour also enables precise flow control. Particularly in the medical field, another advantage plays a crucial role – noiseless operation.

memetis supports its customers from development and production to comprehensive customer care. A certified quality management system ensures that all requirements are reliably met.

THIS IS HIGH-TECH, MADE IN BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG. THIS IS HOW I IMAGINE A SUCCESSFUL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FROM SCIENCE TO THE ECONOMY. MINISTER FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS OF BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG DR. NICOLE HOFFMEISTER-KRAUT

INVESTMENTS, FINANCING, EXIT

In a first round of financing in 2018, memetis was able to secure a seven-figure investment not only from the two main investors, KIT and High-Tech Gründerfonds, but also from a group of business angels.

In a second round of financing in 2021, the company was then able to convince its new partner – Fluid-o-Tech S.r.I. – of its merits. In 2024, Fluid-o-Tech also took over the shares of the original investors. Together with the Italian innovation and market leader for fluid pumps, memetis aims to build ‘a technology leader in the field of miniaturised valves with a shape memory alloy actuator’.

THE FOUNDING STORY

memetis GmbH was founded in February 2017 as a spin-off from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT). The idea for the company was born during the doctoral studies of the founders, Dr. Marcel Gültig, Dr. Christof Megnin and Dr. Hinnerk Oßmer, at the Institute for Microstructure Technology (IMT) of the KIT in the working group ‘Micro/Nano Sensors and Actuators’ of Professor Manfred Kohl, where they conducted intensive research on miniature actuators made of shape memory alloys (SMA). These experiences led to the goal of developing the innovative technology of SMA actuators to market maturity and making it accessible to a wide range of users. The memetis success story impressively demonstrates how scientific research can be successfully transferred into market-ready products.

The team is convinced that their technology can make a particularly important contribution in the development of new patient-oriented medical technology and diagnostics. With innovative solutions, they want to actively shape the future of these industries.

The company is currently managed by the three managing directors Dr Marcel Gültig, Dr Christof Megnin and Dr Hinnerk Oßmer, who have divided the areas of business administration, series production and development between them and lead with their employees.

As a founder, you should always be honest and transparent – with yourself, your team, your partners and your customers. Teambild des Startups memetis

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