China Everbright, Catalyst back 3D printing player

According to an announcement, the GPs' jointly managed Catalyst CEL Fund contributed $10 million to the round and Yair Shamir, managing partner of the fund, will become chairman of XJet. Other investors in the round included 3D design software company Autodesk and existing shareholders.

The capital will go towards project development and a global product launch as XJet moves away from potentially hazardous powder-based metals to liquid metal inks. The company boasts the world's first direct 3D metal inkjet-based jetting system for metal parts. The Israel-based company will officially launch its technology in the US in May, and later in the year at a major trade show in Germany.

"This additional round of funding is another vote of confidence in XJet and will ensure our position as leader in the 3D metal printing arena," XJet CEO and founder Hanan Gothait said. "We believe that XJet will redefine major areas of production through its short-run production of complex metal parts."

Catalyst CEL is a dedicated Israel-China vehicle which invests in mid-to-late stage companies with proven innovation, global presence and growth strategies oriented towards activities in emerging markets with a special focus on the Greater China market. Sectors of interest include industrials, manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, water, energy, technology, media and telecommunications.

The fund launched in 2013 and beat its initial target earlier this year by raising $200 million. Along with XJet, the fund has invested in Lamina Tech, an Israeli-founded manufacturer of precision metal cutting tools, which supplies the engineering, aerospace, defense and transportation sectors.

• Tweet  
• Facebook  
• LinkedIn  
• Google plus  
• Save this article  
• Send to  

• Topics
• Greater China
• Industrials
• Technology
• MENA
• China Everbright
• manufacturing