French startup Stirweld has raised €2 million in funding from Sofimac Innovation's Pertinence Invest 2 fund and Breizh Up. The company was founded in 2017 as a spin-off from the ENS de Rennes and the Institut Maupertuis, and develops innovative welding technologies primarily for the aerospace, automotive, and space sectors.
Stirweld uses the Friction Stir Welding (FSW) technology, which it is developing on a larger scale, and is imagined to be more adaptable to other tools. The company has already installed 15 of its welding sets with 8 more planned for 2021. Its clients include Airbus, Valeo, and Ariane Group.
The startup is based in Saint-Grégoire and holds a license to operate a worldwide patent filed by the Institut Maupertuis in collaboration with the École normale supérieure de Rennes. The company aims to democratize its solution among a wider panel of industrial clients.
Sofimac Innovation is a French venture capital firm that invests in early-stage and growth companies in the technology, healthcare, and industrial sectors. Breizh Up is a seed and venture capital fund for innovative startups in the Brittany region of France. The investment from these two firms will enable Stirweld to continue developing its innovative welding technology and expand its reach among industrial clients.