Incus GmbH – Advanced Metal Additive Manufacturing for European Autonomy

Incus GmbH is an Austrian deep-tech startup that emerged from a university laboratory with an ambitious goal: to reshape how high-precision metal components are made. Spun off from TU Wien in late 2019, Incus developed a novel Lithography-based Metal Manufacturing (LMM) process that builds complex metal parts layer by layer with exceptional detail[1][2]. The company’s name—Latin for anvil—hints at a fusion of traditional metallurgy with cutting-edge photolithography. From a small team of six in Vienna, Incus has grown into an international innovator, delivering industrial 3D printers that produce intricate metal pieces without the usual trade-offs in quality or cost. This little-known spin-off is quietly positioning itself at the crossroads of Europe’s technological sovereignty and advanced manufacturing needs. Its story, rooted in European research and entrepreneurial resolve, offers insight into how homegrown innovation can help reduce reliance on foreign suppliers. Many in Europe’s defense and aerospace communities are now watching to see if Incus’s technology can become a strategic enabler – one that not only prints parts, but also helps print Europe’s path towards greater autonomy.