Founded in 2023 by architect-turned-entrepreneur Wolfgang Fiel, Fiber Elements has developed breakthrough technology for the fully automated production of three-dimensional basalt fiber structures, offering a sustainable alternative to steel-reinforced concrete. Its technology has been brought to market in collaboration with the Technical University of Leoben (MUL), the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), and the Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien).
The company’s approach combines finite element analysis with advanced manufacturing processes to create mineral composites that are three times stronger than steel while weighing two-thirds less.
In 2025, the hardware and building materials market worldwide generated a revenue of US$1.79 trillion (1) and faces mounting pressure to decarbonize. Fiber Elements’ basalt-concrete solutions address this challenge head-on, offering up to 70% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared to traditional steel reinforcement while maintaining superior performance characteristics. Unlike steel, basalt fibers do not corrode, enabling complete material recycling at the end of their life.
“The most decisive factors behind generation-defining companies are timing and team. In Fiber Elements, I’ve found an exceptional team poised to industrialize basalt in a way that could rewrite the Construction Eroom’s Law. As the sector grapples with regulatory complexity, rising material costs, and sluggish adoption of innovation, Fiber Elements is uniquely positioned to reverse decades of stagnating productivity. Its solution has the potential to become the industry standard for next-generation, sustainable reinforcement—scaling rapidly across infrastructure, tunnels, bridges, and prefabricated systems,” commented Nils Seele, Partner at LEA Partners.
“The construction industry is ripe for disruption, and Fiber Elements represents exactly the kind of deep tech innovation that can reshape entire market segments and have real impact in decarbonizing one of the most CO2-heavy industries,” said Vera Kunz, Investment Associate at the Amadeus APEX Technology Fund. “Wolfgang’s unique background bridging architecture, materials science, and digital manufacturing gives the company a distinctive competitive advantage. We see tremendous potential for this technology to become the new standard for sustainable construction materials, with applications extending far beyond the current pilot phase into nano-factories and on-site production capabilities.”
Wolfgang Fiel, Founder and CEO of Fiber Elements, commented: “Having spent my career focused on sustainable materials – both in research and real-life applications, I recognized the extraordinary potential of combining basalt’s natural properties with a holistic design to manufacturing approach. This funding enables us to transition from successful pilots to industrial scale, positioning us to become a global champion in basalt fiber applications. The technology represents a genuine paradigm shift – we’re not just improving existing materials, we’re creating an entirely new category of high-performance, sustainable building components that the industry desperately needs.”
The company has successfully completed pilot projects and currently serves five customers while holding one granted patent with several additional applications filed in 2025. The fresh capital will accelerate industrial scaling, expand the team from 10 to 20 employees by year-end, and advance full automation of the digital workflow with AI-supported optimization.
The company plans to introduce nano-factories for on-site production, which will dramatically reduce transport costs and environmental impact, while making sustainable, prefabricated concrete components more accessible across the construction industry.
Fiber Elements has secured recognition through the Deep Tech Seed financing award from Austria Wirtschaftsservice (AWS) and participation in the EIT Manufacturing Venture Building Programme 2025, supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology.
