Holy Technologies makes Hamburg a leading location for lightweight components
Lightweight components are becoming increasingly widespread in numerous industries because their low weight conserves resources, reduces energy costs and increases efficiency. Until now, however, there has been a high degree of dependence on producers in Asia. With the startup Holy Technologies, there is now an alternative from Hamburg with a world leading technology.
Two founders who complement each other perfectly
In a startup that produces lightweight components, many things have to fit together perfectly. This starts with the founders. Those of Holy Technologies, Bosse Rothe Frossard and Moritz Reiners, have known each other for a long time and already used to be in the same boat as rowers. CEO Bosse brings a wealth of startup experience to the table. As co-founder, he put CleanHub (which aims to rid the oceans of plastic waste) on a growth path. Prior to that, he helped building the blockchain asset manager Protos and was the first employee at the startup Fashwell, which used AI to recognise images from the fashion industry and was later acquired by Apple. He has thus proven himself several times in scaling new technology companies across multiple industries.
Moritz spent most of his working life at a large corporation, namely Airbus and its subsidiary Composite Technology Center (CTC) in Stade. Composite is the technical term for materials consisting of at least two pure raw materials. Moritz is an expert in this field and has been involved in the industrialisation of processes, technological innovations and automation. At Airbus, he played a central role in translating advanced research and development into systems, thus bridging the gap between materials science, factory design and production efficiency.
Processes and software make the difference
A widely used composite material is a combination of carbon fibres and resins. Components made from this material are characterised by their low weight and high load-bearing capacity. One disadvantage of the often still manual production of high-quality parts is the time and cost involved and the high amount of material waste. In addition, composites can hardly be appropriately recycled. The fibres are often shredded and recycled as inferior material. Bosse and Moritz recognised that there was plenty of room for improvement and founded Holy Technologies in 2022.
A manufacturing process that was considered particularly advanced at the time is called Automated Fibre Placement (AFP). A robotic arm places carbon fibres according to a specified shape, and then resin is added to solidify the structure. However, this process still generates a considerable amount of waste. Holy Technologies' process is called Infinite Fibre Placement (IFP) and is an independent new development. It uses a continuous fibre, which means there are no remnants.
The exact production process is calculated in advance by the company's own software. As a deep tech company, Holy Technologies is more than just a contract manufacturer. The service consists of two parts. First, the customer specifies which lightweight component they need. The computer then works out how best to implement the specifications. For example, the load to which a part will be exposed is simulated and the optimum fibre alignment is determined. The use of artificial intelligence in this process is almost a matter of course nowadays. Once the ideal production process stands firm, the software controls the robot arm. The end product, which is hardened with resin, does not require any further processing, as even small details such as holes have already been taken into account.
Successful practical test in Formula 1
Holy Technologies was able to prove the practicality of this approach early on through a collaboration with Visa Cash App RB. The startup manufactured the wing mirrors casings for the Red Bull-owned racing team. Innovative technologies are part of Formula 1's identity, and lightweight carbon components are common there. Holy achieved a further 20 per cent weight reduction compared to the previously used part.
The Visa Cash App RB order naturally involved only a small number of units. However, Holy Technologies' aim is to manufacture ultra-lightweight, load-bearing components in medium to high quantities in a cost-efficient and rapid manner. The goal is scalable, autonomous production in Europe that is independent of supply chains, which are becoming increasingly uncertain in times of international turmoil. The startup was already able to take the first steps in this direction in a pilot plant at the Start-Up Labs in Bahrenfeld, but it needed a larger production facility and therefore money for real growth.
Thanks to financing round for its own production facility
It received this in a financing round announced in September 2025. 4.3 million euros came from a number of VC companies and business angels, as well as the Innovationsstarter Fonds of IFB Innovationsstarter GmbH. ‘The race for industrial competitiveness in Europe has begun,’ Bosse commented at the time of the success announcement. ‘This financing allows us to scale our system and deliver what our customers need most: radically better lightweight components – at top speed.’
The plan to build the world's first autonomous factory for lightweight components in Hamburg was quickly implemented. It went into operation at the beginning of 2026, covering an area of around 1,000 square metres. Demand is high, with the company at this point having five paying customers and twelve parts in series production. In many areas and industries, weight reduction is a key factor in lowering energy consumption, thereby saving costs and improving the carbon footprint. Holy Technologies currently manufactures for industrial toolmaking, the automotive industry and orthopaedics, where the combination of flexibility and resilience is a major advantage. Furthermore, the technology is not limited to the use of carbon; the system is also designed for glass, aramid and natural fibres.
Holy Technologies wants to conquer Europe and the world from Hamburg
In terms of pricing, Holy Technologies can now compete with its rivals, especially those from China, and in terms of quality, it is clearly superior. With increasing scale, costs can be reduced even further. The company has another trump card that it has not yet fully played, namely the recyclability of its carbon composites. This is made possible by the use of a special resin that can be extracted without leaving any residue. So far, this has only been done in Hamburg, and a related business model is still in the planning stage. In the future, a partner network could ensure commercialisation.
The focus is on Europe as a sales market, but overseas customers are also conceivable in the longer term. Holy Technologies currently employs around 20 international specialists, a significant proportion of whom are responsible for the application and further development of the technology. The manufacture of lightweight components is not yet a purely robotic process; some less time-consuming steps are still carried out by hand. The aim is to further advance autonomation and become a leading manufacturer of lightweight components in Europe. If the growth curve continues to rise as it has done so far, the production facility that has just gone into operation will eventually no longer be sufficient. Even then, however, Hamburg is to remain the preferred location.
