Start-up capital for a new kind of technology to manufacture printed circuit boards

Limata GmbH has developed an innovative process based on UV-LED technology for exposing printed circuit boards. The Munich start-up team has secured as many as four investors to provide start-up finance for the company and is launching an innovative industrial precision machine for UV lithography of circuit printed boards.

High-Tech Gründerfonds, BayernKapital, Falk-Strascheg Holding and business angel have invested about EUR 750k in newly established Limata GmbH. The investment is intended to develop the technology and equipment further as well as to achieve market entry.

“Limata has made it possible with a patented device to substantially simplify the production of printed circuit boards for prototypes and small batches, and is thereby addressing a pressing demand from electronics manufacturers. The team has hitherto proven to be very strong on implementation and quickly established a pertinent network in the sector,” says Dr Matthias Dill, investment manager at High-Tech Gründerfonds, who looks after the company as lead investor.

Limata’s technology especially profitable
Customers benefit above all from cost reduction. Along with lower purchase costs, the manufacturers’ production, maintenance and energy costs are cut by up to 75 percent. Circuit designers will shorten development periods by up to 5 days and get printed circuit boards of high precision – regardless of suppliers and their lead times. The device can be integrated in production immediately and offers the production company maximum flexibility with respect to the panel size and thickness to be processed. Furthermore, the machine can be operated directly from any workstation via the internal network.

With a 50 percent market share, Germany is the leading country in European printed circuit board production – this constitutes a sold foundation for successful entry into the market: “Ever since we started the development work we maintained close contact with PCB manufacturers in Germany, who visited us regularly as early as this development period. This enabled us to gear our product perfectly to the customer’s requirements,” says Matthias Nagel, technical director at Limata GmbH.

“In a time of economic crisis and sparse funding commitment, we are the first BMWi-EXIST-sponsored company to have secured as many as four investors before the end of the one-year funding period. That is a scenario we very much hoped for: from the outset we have key investors at our side who are familiar with our business model and might also support us in a further funding round with both capital and know-how,” adds Attila Heim, Limata GmbH’s commercial director.

About Limata GmbH
Limata GmbH develops industrial precision machines for UV lithography of printed circuit boards. Limata is developing a new, innovative and cost-effective process for this purpose. The device executes the process of structuring the printed circuit board by illuminating the photoresist-coated carrier material. The equipment is ideal for manufacturing rigid, semi-flexible and flexible interconnect devices as used in all electronic components such as control systems. Limata GmbH is a spin-off from the “Limata” research project. The German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology sponsored the start-up team in 2009 within the framework of an EXIST seed programme.

Contact:
Limata GmbH
Attila Heim
Commercial Director
Bleicherfleck 3
85737 Ismaning
Tel.: +49 89 219091130
Fax: +49 89 219091139
www.limata.de

About Bayern Kapital
Bayern Kapital was set up in 1995 as part of the Bavarian state government’s “Bavarian Future Initiative” aimed at furnishing especially new, innovative Bavarian companies with venture capital. To date, Bayern Kapital has invested about EUR 152 million in more than 185 innovative, high-tech companies. Bayern Kapital is available as a contact for businesses in the region and currently manages an overall fund volume of about EUR 214 million.

Contact:
Bayern Kapital GmbH
Monika Steger/Franz Wocheslander
Ländgasse 135 a
84028 Landshut
Tel: +49 871 923250
Fax: +49 871 9232555
info@bayernkapital.de
www.bayernkapital.de

About Falk Strascheg Holding
The Falk Strascheg Holding is focused on the financing of young technology companies especially in the Seed and StartUp Phase. The young entrepreneurs receive not only risk capital but also advice based on entrepreneurial experience and financial knowhow. More information at www.extorel.de.

About High-Tech Gründerfonds
The High-Tech Grunderfonds invests risk capital in young, high-potential technology companies that convert promising research results in business success. By means of the seed financing the start-ups shall carry on with the R & D project until the provision of a prototype or a “proof of concept” or until the lancing on the market. The High-Tech Gründerfonds has a funds volume of about 272 million EUR. Investors of the Public Private Partnership are the German Federal Ministry for Economy and Technology, the KfW Banking Group and the six industrial company groups BASF, Deutsche Telekom, Siemens, Robert Bosch, Daimler, and Carl Zeiss.

Contact:
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH
Dr. Matthias Dill
Investmentmanager
Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2
53175 Bonn
Tel.: +49 228 96568500
Fax: +49 228 96568550
info@high-tech-gruenderfonds.de
www.high-tech-gruenderfonds.de