03-25-2019: CD3D unveiled SKAFFOSYS bioprinter and announced the creation of the "Open Bioprinting Cluster"
The project was run by Pawel Slusarczyk - author of this publication!
On March 25, 2019, CD3D presented its proprietary bioprinter — SKAFFOSYS. It was developed within renowned polish publishing company CD3D (now known as COLORISED) and was the result of a year's work by a small 5-people team. In total, 21 bioprinters were built, which were installed in the Laboratory of Molecular and Nanostructural Biophysics at Bionanopark in Łódź, Poland. Along with the launch of the bioprinter and the rebranding of CD3D into the biotech-oriented CD3D Medical, it was announced the creation of the "Open Bioprinting Cluster."
The project was created and run by me - Pawel Slusarczyk.
Unfortunately, a year later, with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was all over... It was the most spectacular and ambitious project I have undertaken in my career, but also one of the most costly. This is just a very condensed version of a story that truly deserves an entire book.
The idea of creating a bioprinter emerged a year earlier, in March 2018. We had been collaborating with researchers from Bionanopark for many years (where our office was located), and the concept came from a medical project we were helping them with, which was based on PCL biomaterial. We became interested in the subject and came up with the idea of creating a dedicated machine for producing regenerative implants for craniofacial bones. Simultaneously, in March 2018, the official premiere of CELLINK took place in Poland, which we attended — that also served as inspiration.
The core team behind SKAFFOSYS consisted of Anna Ślusarczyk, Magda Grzegorzewska, Tomasz Filipek, Maciej Dobrowolski, and myself. The first prototypes of the bioprinter and hydrogel materials were created in August 2018. By October, we had a production-ready prototype. The production of the final 21 devices took place in December 2018 and January 2019. We were essentially ready for installation by January 25, but due to prolonged negotiations with the management of Bionanopark, we could only officially launch on March 25.
The project received very positive feedback both in Poland and internationally. We received invitations to conferences and began discussions with universities. However, we needed funding. The entire project was funded from CD3D’s own resources, which were gradually depleting.
We talked to several investment funds from Poland (though there was also a serious investor from abroad). Three times we secured funding, and three times it was taken away from us (not due to our fault — it's that notorious "Polish investment hell"; I told you, this deserves a book!).
By the end of 2019, we had "hit the bottom of the treasury." The project was put on hold while we searched for additional funds. We separated it from CD3D and tried to move forward under an independent brand. But then COVID-19 hit, and that was truly the end. There was no going back.
Although I've completed various projects in my life, I think I am most proud of this one because I proved to myself that I can not only write about 3D printers but also create them.
Source: www.centrumdruku3d.pl
‘2013 in AM’ - brand new history book! GET IT NOW!
