Input Requirements, Output Material: ExoMatter Tests Inverse Design in Materials Development

Inverse design could replace years of laboratory experiments

23-Sep-2026
ExoMatter

The Munich-based deep tech startup ExoMatter has completed its first proof of concept for inverse design with an industrial client. Instead of testing existing materials against a requirement, inverse design generates candidate materials based on the requirement itself.

Inverse Design Enables Material Search Based on a Requirements Profile

When developing a new material, companies first define requirements—such as a material’s performance, cost, or sustainability. Until now, however, they had to start their search at the other end, scouring databases, technical literature, and other sources for existing materials and investigating their properties.

Inverse design reverses this approach. The technology identifies a suitable material that meets the company’s requirements. To do this, the requirements are translated into calculable technical specifications. The proposed material candidate can then be validated in the laboratory.

Inverse Design Turns Material Development “Upside Down”

“Inverse Design turns material development for industrial companies on its head,” says Dr. Josua Vieten, co-founder of ExoMatter. “Once fully developed, inverse design can save years of laboratory experiments and millions in lab costs, since only final material candidates need to be validated in the lab.” 

Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.

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