PhosPrint, a Greek deep-tech startup pioneering in vivo laser bioprinting for regenerative medicine, has secured €500,000 in seed funding led by Corallia Ventures TT, with the participation of angel investor Dr. Lars Rasmussen. The investment will support the first-in-human clinical trial of PhosPrint’s InvivoLPrint-U, the world’s first bioprinter capable of reconstructing bladder tissue directly inside the patient’s body during surgery.
Transforming Regenerative Surgery
Each year, more than 150,000 patients worldwide are eligible for bladder removal (cystectomy) due to cancer. Current reconstructive surgeries rely on intestinal tissue and often cause severe side effects such as infections, metabolic complications, and reduced quality of life. PhosPrint’s innovation enables Urologists to create a fully functional, side-effect-free neobladder through the printing of a patient’s own healthy bladder cells directly onto tissue during surgery. In extensive pre-clinical studies in pigs, this approach restored normal bladder function with none of the known complications of conventional orthotopic neobladder surgery.
“Current surgical approaches of bladder cancer seriously downgrade patients’ quality of life” said Professor Ioanna Zergioti, CEO of PhosPrint. “Our InvivoLPrint-U innovation eliminates the side effects of current surgical options, offering patients a fully functional, side-effect-free neobladder. This investment brings us one step closer to the clinic and to transforming the field of regenerative medicine”.
Co-founder Dr. Apostolos Klinakis (Clinical Director) and Maria Pallidou (CFO) highlight the platform’s versatility which extends beyond bladder reconstruction, and is applicable in numerous indications including cartilage and heart repair, addressing multi-billion-euro global markets.
Backed by leading investors
“PhosPrint is breaking new ground at the intersection of bioprinting, laser technology, and regenerative medicine”, said Dr. Stefanos Capsaskis, Partner at Corallia Ventures. “We are proud to back a world-class team whose breakthrough platform has the potential to redefine outcomes for millions of patients worldwide”.
Dr. Lars Rasmussen added: “I’m beyond proud to be backing Ioanna and her talented team! PhosPrint has likely invented the first successful bladder replacement procedure, which will likely be the first approved surgical procedure involving a bioprinter. And that’s just the beginning of what their impressive technology has in store!”
Next steps and global potential
The newly secured funds will enable PhosPrint to:
- Complete its first-in-human trial application this year;
- Launch patient trials in 2026 at leading European hospitals;
- Expand its team of biologists, engineers, and regulatory experts;
- Develop benchtop bioprinters for R&D labs as an early revenue stream starting in 2026.
The company is targeting EMA and FDA approval by 2029, with initial market entry planned in Europe and the US.
About PhosPrint
Founded in 2019 as a spinoff of the Institute of Communication and Computer Systems (ICCS) of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA), PhosPrint develops cutting-edge in vivo laser bioprinting solutions for tissue repair. Its flagship platform, InvivoLPrint-U, enables the direct printing of live autologous cells during surgery, offering unprecedented outcomes in bladder reconstruction and beyond. With 5 patent families, proprietary manufacturing know-how, and a team of leading scientists in laser physics, biomedical engineering, and clinical research, PhosPrint is shaping the future of regenerative medicine.