Stereotech: From a garage startup to a leader in 5D printing

Interview with Artem Avdeev, co-founder and CEO of Stereotech.

How was the startup concept born, why 5D printers?

We started, as usual, in the garage, it was 2012. We decided with a friend that we need a 3D printer to print car parts. We started collecting it, and coincidentally, it was during this period that we were in our third year at the Volgograd Polytechnic University and were just choosing a topic for bachelor's work. We found a teacher who was interested in 3D printing and declared our project as a scientific work. Subsequently, this teacher, Alexey Drobotov, became one of the founders of Stereotech.

After analyzing the main problems associated with traditional 3D printing, we realized that we can solve them all with the help of five-axis processing. But we went to the implementation of this technology in stages – first we developed a standard 3D printer and tested the general kinematics on it. Then, when 5D technology was perfected, we implemented it into our 3D printer, turning it into a hybrid 5D printer. This process took us several years — from 2016 to 2020.

What is a 5D printer anyway? There are only three dimensions…

Many people are interested in this question. We borrowed this term from the field of multi-axis machining, for example, milling machines. If in 3D we are talking about three dimensions, then in 5D we mean five degrees of freedom: the movement of the platform up and down, the movement of the head back and forth, tilt and turn.

That is, for example, standard 3D printing requires the use of supports for overhanging elements of complex parts. These supports are printed from the same material as the part itself and then removed. This takes time and consumes additional material. The five-axis machining allows the part to be tilted and rotated so that all overhangs are printed vertically, eliminating the need for supports.

This term attracts attention. In fact, when we thought about how to introduce 5D printer technology for the first time, there was a lot of skepticism. In those years, when 3D printers had not yet gained widespread popularity, 5D sounded like something incredible, as if from the distant future. Many people took the idea with hostility, asking questions like: "How can you have five dimensions?".

Like any innovative solution, our technology has developed in the context of heated discussions within the team. We questioned every idea and argued a lot, worried about how the market would perceive this term.

Even a simple solution — to make T-shirts for employees with the inscription "5D printers" — caused a storm of emotions. Nevertheless, the choice of a name for the technology turned out to be the most successful from a marketing point of view, since the wording "5D" immediately arouses interest.

What resources did you have at the start, besides the desire and a free garage?

Well, we had a screwdriver ;) The technical basis was zero – as students, we had only a certain predisposition to do something with our hands. But the project became a practical course for us, where we got all the necessary skills.

At some point, Ilya Gushchin joined our team, who later became the co-founder of the company. He was sure that I was good at programming, since I was aiming for such a job, but no, we were already mastering everything in the process. He is now a developer with experience in three different software products of the company.

Tell me, when you started assembling a 3D printer in the garage for yourself, did you realize that it could grow into such a global project or at least a business, or was it just a hobby?

In fact, it was a hobby. At that time, there were no mass projects with 3D printers, so we started to assemble it for ourselves. After we received the first results and tested the printing in the laboratory, we realized that this idea has commercial potential and, with the support of the Innovation Promotion Fund, took the first steps towards the business stage.

What difficulties did you have to face?

We started from scratch. As I said, the only tool we had was a screwdriver that turned over from the slot to the cross. We received the first money through a grant from the Umnik program — 500 thousand rubles. With these funds, we bought tools and assembled the first prototype. Later, in 2016, we opened a company and got an office. We not only continued to develop printers, but also began to produce them, and also opened a printing studio where we sold parts. At that time, our team grew to 13 people.

How did you cope with the moral burden of long-term work without visible results? You mentioned that you applied for grants and participated in events.

They were fueled by inspiration from small results. We won a grant, confirmed the uniqueness of the technology from a scientific point of view – it really supported us. In 2018, when we already had a prototype, we visited various exhibitions, and in 2019 we went to Frankfurt for Formnext. And everywhere we found confirmation that our technology is unique, that no one has seen this before. This gave me confidence and strength to continue working. And of course our families supported us.

By 2020, we have received the first commercial sample. It was a difficult moral period, because the development took a lot of time, and we didn't get a result for a long time. It was difficult.

By the way, we recently participated in two contests in China and won first places. It is curious that we were appreciated in such a high-tech country. There were fears that our idea would be quickly copied, and then we would see it on Aliexpress ;). But it turned out that China has a shortage of engineering creativity, they are strong in incremental mass production technologies, and we are strong in the software part. Therefore, China is our market with great potential. Our plan is to develop 5D technology and work with Chinese manufacturers to make the product available on the mass market.

You said that the first commercial sample was in 2020. Were you ready to expand this year?

Yes, the first commercial sample was in 2020. We have already realized that the product is commercially successful. During this period, another founder joined the project – Anatoly Tulaev, who previously had extensive experience in commercial activities.

The key moment in the development was COVID-19. One of the first parts manufactured on our 5D printer was a filter adapter for medical masks. In the face of a shortage of respirators, we have offered medicine an excellent solution. This was our first practical application of the technology, tested with doctors of the Volgograd region.
After that, we started looking for areas for commercial use. At first, they tried to work with aviation, but quickly realized that this was too complicated and conservative an area. Then they turned their attention back to medicine, for example, to the manufacture of prostheses, but faced difficulties with digitization and the individual approach of doctors. Eventually, we focused on industry and realized that this was the most promising niche for our technology.

Our first major clients were Grass and Severstal. In collaboration with Grass, we tested various materials, and Severstal was able to quickly prove the effectiveness of our approach. The company saved 6 million rubles on five samples per year using our printer.

It is important that the printer then cost 700 thousand rubles, and it paid off almost tenfold in one year. It was a very convincing case that helped us attract new customers. Today we have a catalog of more than 500 tested parts, as well as over 100 customer reviews confirming their performance. Now our clients include such large companies, oil refining and mining.

How did your collaboration with KAMA FLOW begin?

KAMA FLOW company came to us on its own. In 2019, we actively participated in competitions, won the joint S7 and Skolkovo competition, participated in ASI programs and accelerations. As far as I remember, one of the KAMA FLOW investment analysts noticed our project, and then we started communicating with Pavel Okhonin. It took some time from the introduction to the deal, they looked at us, and then, apparently, decided to observe whether we could survive as a project. Six months later, the specifics of the deal have already been discussed. In parallel, we had interaction with other investors, but their approach turned out to be less flexible. They were more integrated into corporations, which created certain difficulties. It was much easier with KAMA FLOW, without unnecessary bureaucracy. There were fears that a qualified investor would start interfering in the operational processes, but this did not happen. Instead, we received support in areas where we did not have strong expertise: financial planning, modeling. Together with KAMA, we implemented management accounting, and this was a big step forward.
In addition to finance, KAMA provided business assistance. We have a working board of directors, and I can always consult on any important issue. An expert was also assigned to enter international markets, who was engaged in interaction with Arab countries.

In what areas do you use your technology?

Functional parts manufactured using Stereotech 5D printers are actively used in the activities of a number of Russian industrial enterprises – in the oil and gas, chemical, pulp and paper industry, mechanical engineering, housing and communal services, building materials production, food and agricultural industries.

What are your plans for the future?

We are aiming for double growth this year, and the same growth next year. We have already put the direction with 5D technology on track. Now it is already a clear and working business model: the implementation of 5D printers, built-in CRM systems, automation. This system is quite stable, and we may not be so actively involved in it.

In 2025, we are entering the next round of investments – round A. We plan to use part of the funds to expand the team, create new products and strengthen software solutions. This applies to our B2B business, which we are currently engaged in.
The second direction is B2B2C, development through specialized 5D modules, especially in China. We are confident that 5D technology still remains unique. Simply put, any 3D printer with this module can be turned into a 5D, which is much more profitable than creating or purchasing 5D devices.

As for competitors, it is important to understand that our technology is initially based on customer benefits. We offer not only equipment, but also a comprehensive approach – configuration, maintenance, support. Chinese parts may be cheaper, but our business model and off-the-shelf B2B solutions remain competitive due to quality and payback. Therefore, we are confident that our market position will remain stable.