Texan 3D-printing company Icon has raised $35m in funding from a number of investors including Danish architect Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). The company had already raised $9m in seed funding from Austin-based Cielo Property Group, Dubai’s Emaar and others.
Icon plans to use the money to develop printers that can better tackle residential projects. Jason Ballard, Icon’s chief executive, said in a press statement: "In early 2018, there were no 3D-printed homes in North America and today there are almost 20 and we’re gearing up for hundreds more.
"We anticipate more high-velocity progress in the years ahead to help bring housing and construction into the modern world and in line with humanity’s highest hopes. The present challenges the world is facing due to new coronavirus have only emphasised the tremendous gap between the housing that we have and the housing that we need."
Bjarke Ingels, BIG’s founder, said: "We believe additive manufacturing will play a transformative role in the future of construction and with our investment and partnership with Icon we can contribute actively to this ongoing transformation.
"With Icon we are pioneering new frontiers – both materially, technologically and environmentally – so putting some skin in the game became inevitable. The design industry has become revolutionised through the adoption of CAD and BIM."
Image: A welcome centre 3D printed by Icon in Austin, Texas (Icon)
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