The Team behind Printoptix
Our Team as Printoptix has grown from just Simon and Nils in 2021 to currently 9 people already. With most of our team members earning their PhD directly from the optics and physics research institutes of the University of Stuttgart, we focus on the quick advancement of our optical 3D-printing technology.
By now, our team combines a collective knowledge of not just optical design and 3D-printing know-how, but also expertise in optical measurement technologies, material science and industrial fabrication.
2020
Awarded Exist and Young Innovators grants, to further advance research and development.
December 2021
Official founding of Printoptix GmbH.
2023
Awarded EIC Transition grant as lead coordinator (€1.7 million in funding) to further industrialise 3D-printed micro-optics.
The Founders

Nils Fahrbach, M.Sc.
Nils Fahrbach studied Engineering Cybernetics at the University of Stuttgart until graduating in 2019. In his award winning master's thesis, he developed a highly miniaturized multi-aperture wide-angle camera by 3D-printing micro optics directly onto an imaging sensor. After serving in the military for one and a half years, he and Dr. Thiele founded Printoptix in November 2020 based on the previous work of both founders.

Dr. Simon Thiele
Dr. Simon Thiele studied Microsystems Engineering at the University of Freiburg. After graduating in 2012 he worked on his doctoral thesis "Design, simulation and process optimization for 3D direct laser writing of micro optics" at the Institute for Applied Optics (ITO), University of Stuttgart. He achieved his PhD in 2019 summa cum laude and kept working at the ITO as head of the optical design team. With over 10 years of experience in the field he is an ideal fit for the R&D of Printoptix.

Prof. Dr. Harald Gießen
