About Us

Our Company,
Our Mission

nititec vacuum gripper was founded to transform the way industries handle vacuum gripping. We are pioneers of disruptive, fully electric gripping solutions that eliminate the need for pneumatics. With our patented technology, we deliver lightweight, silent, and energy-efficient systems designed for maximum flexibility and performance. Our team of engineers and technologists combines deep expertise in materials, mechatronics, and automation, making nititec the ideal development partner for innovative handling solutions. From prototyping to industrial-scale production, we provide the technology and processes to bring your next-generation gripping applications to life.

When nititec vacuum gripper was established, a new era of vacuum handling began.
Building on a decades of research and development, and backed by helpful investments from leading research institutions (iMSL) and industrial partners, we combine deep technical expertise with proven industrial know-how.

This foundation allows us to deliver disruptive gripping solutions that replace pneumatics with fully electric, lightweight, and energy-efficient technology – ready to transform industrial automation.

From our founding facilities in Saarbrücken, Germany, nititec vacuum gripper is shaping the future of vacuum handling.
We serve businesses of all sizes – from visionary start-ups to established global brands – with our disruptive, fully electric vacuum gripper technology. Designed for OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, our solutions eliminate pneumatics and deliver lightweight, energy-efficient, and sustainable performance.

We are currently building our production capabilities, aiming to start full-scale manufacturing in the Saarland, Germany, by 2026. Already today, we supply leading OEMs and Tier 1 partners with first pre-series prototypes for validation and testing.

Beyond vacuum gripping, our expertise covers system integration, electronics development, prototyping, and application-specific customization – providing customers with complete, tailored solutions.

Our Vision,
Our Commitment

We value your time and investment.
If another technology fits better, we will say so. Every project carries technical and economic risks, which we help manage through phased development with clear testing and validation. Early stages focus on proof-of-concept and low investment, ensuring feasibility before scaling to full solutions.

With the completion of our modular platform, we will be able to integrate many standard suction membranes from leading manufacturers with our technology. The vacuum gripper toolkit will offer different configuration levels, including:

Basic gripping
Vacuum monitoring with I/O signal output
or Vacuum monitoring with analog signal
Gripping with additional re-grip (leakage compensation)
LED status indication: red = inactive, green = active and secure, yellow = critical underpressure
Flexible connectivity: optional interfaces such as PLC, PROFINET, or IO-Link

nititec vacuum gripper delivers the enabling technology that makes new ideas in automation possible.
We invite our customers to think big and challenge us – together we turn bold concepts in vacuum handling into reality.

History

The Origin of nititec Vacuum Gripper: Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) research has been advancing at the Institute for Mechatronic Systems in Lightweight Construction (iMSL) under Prof. Stefan Seelecke for more than a decade. What started as fundamental research evolved into award-winning prototypes and, eventually, into patented applications.

Research & Development

2016 -First Prototype Award

First Prototype Award
The very first SMA-based prototype vacuum gripper, developed at iMSL, received a prize for innovation.

2017 – Patent by Prof. Dr. Motzki

A new prototype was patented, marking the technological foundation for disruptive vacuum gripping without pneumatics.

Start of Commercialization

2021 – Founding of Mateligent GmbH

Established to industrialize SMA and EAP smart material technologies, creating the basis for future spin-offs.

2023 – Founding of mateligent nititec GmbH and mateligent iDEAS GmbH

With a dedicated focus on gripper technology, mateligent nititec GmbH was launched as the next step toward commercialization.

Today and Future Outlook

2025 – Investor partnership & founding of nititec vacuum gripper GmbH

Backed by strong investor support, nititec vacuum gripper GmbH was established to bring the disruptive, pneumatic-free vacuum gripper technology into industrial practice. Series production is targeted for 2026 in the Saarland, Germany.

Q4 2025 Delivery

Delivery of release samples to OEMs and Tier 1 partners.

Q1–Q3 2026 Production

Production build-up and approvals, continued sample deliveries to development

Q4 2026 – Start of series production

2027 Ramp-up of full-scale production.

Mateligent Europe

nititec vacuum gripper GmbH is part of the Mateligent Group, headquartered in Saarbrücken, Germany.
The Group is a leading developer of smart-materials-based products, rooted in the research of iMSL – the Intelligent Material Systems Lab at Saarland University – and ZeMA, the Center for Mechatronics and Automation Technologies.

While nititec vacuum gripper focuses on disruptive, fully electric vacuum gripping systems, we benefit from the Group’s broader expertise in electroactive polymer sensing, shape memory alloys, and elastocaloric heating and cooling technologies.

Through our colleagues at the Mateligent Group and our strategic research partner iMSL, we have access to a deep pool of talent and advanced facilities. Depending on project requirements, we can draw on the skills of undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral engineers, as well as laboratory technicians – covering disciplines from mechanical and electrical engineering to material science, modeling & control, and technical prototyping.