In medicine, precision down to the millimetre is often crucial. In the case of the material developed by Aortex, even micrometres will determine how aneurysms can be treated in the future. With its technology, the Hamburg-based startup aims to save the lives of many thousands of people.
Stories
June 15, 2026
Aortex turns a wafer-thin fibre into a lifesaver
AI-generated image of a healthy aorta and an aneurysm
Aneurysms are life-threatening and difficult to treat
The aorta is the largest and most important artery in the human body. It runs from the left ventricle to the pelvic region and, when healthy, has a diameter of 2.5 to 3.5 centimetres. One of the most common conditions affecting the aorta is an aneurysm, a bulge that causes the artery to widen. Once it reaches 5 centimetres, the situation becomes critical, with a risk of rupture that can lead to fatal internal bleeding. Surgery is therefore strongly recommended, but it is often associated with complications.
This applies, at least, to open surgery, in which a prosthesis replaces the affected section of the aorta. A less invasive procedure, in which a stent graft – a vascular support – is inserted using a catheter, is gentler on patients. However, many people cannot be treated in this way because their access arteries are too narrow for conventional products. Women are particularly affected by this, with up to 25% of them falling into this category.
© Aortex: the founders Henry Stehle and Maximilian Dunker
Two mechanical engineers driving medical progress
A promising solution to the problem comes not from two experienced medical professionals, but from two mechanical engineers: Henry Stehle and Maximilian Duncker. They met whilst studying at RWTH Aachen University, which has a strong reputation as a breeding ground for startups. Initially, however, neither of them considered setting up a business; after graduating, their career paths took them independently to Hamburg. Maximilian was a project manager at Vibracoustic, a supplier to the automotive industry, whilst Henry worked at the management consultancy Accenture.
They always maintained personal contact throughout. Over dinner, they once discussed a material they had developed during their university days which could prove extremely useful: a synthetic that can be processed into fibres that are extremely thin yet particularly durable. This material is ideally suited for a stent graft, which consists of a stabilising metal mesh (stent) and an enveloping synthetic membrane (graft). The fabric produced with this innovative fibre is around 50% thinner than comparable products, with a thickness of approximately 60 micrometres; the aim is to achieve just 40 micrometres, which corresponds to 0.04 millimetres. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the implants by up to 20%.
© Mathias Jäger/Hamburg Startups: Maximilian Dunker and Henry Stehle, winners of Health & Life Science Venture Day 2025
A material with many advantages
But that is by no means the only advantage of the material. Currently available stent grafts generally have a limited lifespan. Once that time has elapsed, further intervention is required. The new, thinner membrane is significantly more wear-resistant and should last a lifetime. Furthermore, it is almost 100% impermeable to water and therefore also to blood. When Henry and Maximilian discussed their plans with doctors and medical device manufacturers, they encountered great interest and a willingness to test the product as soon as it becomes available.
This motivated thetwo of them to launch their startup, Aortex. It made its first public appearance in June 2025 at the Health & Life Science Venture Day, where it promptly took first place. The combination of a professional presentation, market potential and genuine technological innovation won over both the jury and the audience alike. Further awards followed in the ensuing months, such as the Gründergeist in September. There, the statement that Aortex could ideally save more than 100,000 lives worldwide made a particular impression. In Germany alone, around 10,000 people die of an aortic aneurysm every year.
© Aortex: visualisation of a stent graf
Aortex produces quickly and individually
This estimate is also linked to the fact that, for many patients, regardless of the size of their artery, a standardised stent graft is not suitable and they are reliant on individually designed, handmade products. The waiting time for these can be months, which is not an option in critical cases. Aortex promises to be able to manufacture the device within a few days based on a 3D scan of the affected aorta. A new process has been set up specifically for this purpose, which currently still runs on a machine that, at 15 metres in length, seems disproportionately large compared to the small vascular supports. Aortex therefore plans to design its own, more compact machine specifically for medical textiles.
All of this, along with product development, naturally costs money, which is why Aortex has recently submitted various funding applications that, ideally, would secure nearly 6.5 million euros. The startup has already entered around 500,000 euros in its books, partly from business angels. The InnoRampUp programme run by IFB Innovationsstarter GmbH has also made a significant contribution. This was announced in December 2025, signalling to Henry and Maximilian that they could now devote themselves exclusively to Aortex.
© Mathias Jäger / Hamburg Startups: Maximilian Dunker at Gründergeist 2025
Global demand is rising as societies age
The dream is to one day become as significant as Medtronic from Dublin. Founded in 1949, the company is the undisputed market leader in pacemakers, is also a frontrunner in aortic stent grafts, and generates an annual turnover of over 36 billion US dollars. Demand for vascular supports is set to rise steadily in the coming years, from the current global figure of 300,000 to an estimated 1.3 million in 2040. This is linked to the ageing population in many countries. Other triggers for the condition can include obesity, smoking or a genetic predisposition.
The symptoms are similarly varied and therefore difficult to categorise definitively; these include, for example, diffuse abdominal and back pain, shortness of breath or dizziness. Furthermore, the condition often progresses for a long time without causing any symptoms at all. Regular ultrasound scans are therefore recommended for prevention; with an early diagnosis, surgery can be planned in time and carried out with reduced risk.
Aortex hopes to become a leading supplier of stent grafts. There is still a long way to go, as a medical device must overcome several regulatory hurdles and demonstrate its safety and efficacy before it can be approved. Aortex anticipates entering the market in 2031. The founders do not fear that a competitor might beat them to it. Their technology will result in a number of patents. The first has already been granted. Among established large companies, innovative capacity is limited, and the likelihood that another, as yet unknown startup has developed something with as many advantages as Aortex is extremely low.
What Maximilian and Henry need most of all now, therefore, is staying power. In the long term, they estimate the annual revenue potential to be well over 100 million euros. And that applies only to stent grafts; the fibre could also be used in many other areas of medicine, such as heart valves, and beyond. They regard Hamburg as the ideal location for their endeavours. Here, the quality of life is high and the ecosystem is largely concentrated and geared more towards cooperation than competition. The city’s enormous potential is also underscored by the University of Hamburg’s classification as a university of excellence and the activities of the IFB and Impossible Founders to support deep tech startups. A category in which Aortex certainly finds itself.
