The Power of Two: An interview with Kornit CEO,Ronen Samuel

Kornit Digital’s CEO, Ronen Samuel reveals the vision behind Voxel8’s recent acquisition

Kornit CEO, Ronen Samuel, often likes to say “A company is only as good as its people”. When it comes to Kornit’s recent acquisition of US-based Voxel8’s technologies, an on-demand manufacturer of 3D printing technologies, this statement holds even greater significance.

“The first thing that drew me in was the vision of their core leadership team, and obviously Fred von Gottberg, the company’s CEO also has an impeccable record and personality. But, we were also deeply impressed, by the pool of developer talent the company brings to the table. . Talent aside, the move makes perfect sense for Kornit, as the two companies share an identical DNA and vision, while complementing their set of capabilities to transform and digitize more and more parts of the fashion and sportswear production process.”

Voxel8 made a name for itself by developing 3D on-demand printing technologies and systems to manufacture high-performance “uppers” for the footwear industry. The company has created an innovative technology to create a wide range of “elastomers”, from soft rubbers to rigid plastics as well as the ability to print vivid, high-resolution colors and graphics on them.

From a production perspective, the acquisition has both immediate and long-term impact.

According to Samuel, “The whole is much greater than the sum of its parts. The move fully integrates into Kornit’s core decorative capabilities by enhancing textiles both design-wise and functionally. Long-term, it enables the company to gain entry into the space of additive manufacturing, providing a complementary solution and breaking the inkjet barrier which is essential to fully complete the digital transition of textile decorations.”

“By joining forces with Voxel8, we are creating a synergy of capabilities that will cement Kornit’s position as a true vertically-integrated manufacturer,”

The OS of Fashion

According to Samuel, “This acquisition is another step forward in becoming the OS for sustainable, on-demand manufacturing. It will help us further digitize the production experience, creating new efficiencies, and ultimately playing a bigger part in the production process of fashion as a whole.”

Kornit’s “beyond print” philosophy

“Kornit is moving beyond the scope of a “printer,” and ultimately shifting towards becoming a multifunctional powerhouse“”

Voxel8’s technologies will allow Kornit systems to add metallics, glitter, silicon, reflectives, and other high-density graphic capabilities. This will provide Kornit with immediate short-term possibilities as we integrate these capabilities into our offering [

Samuel’s vision ties into the massive market for functional apparel such as sports and athleisure gear that make use of compression materials, braces, wearable electronics, added grip or abrasion protection, waterproofing, and other applications that will surely benefit from Voxel8’s technologies , unique elastomers and the combination of the two companies’ merged technological capabilities. 

What next?

According to Samuel, “We’re committed to continuously investing in resources that are aligned with our core values of transforming the fashion industry to on-demand, sustainable production, as well as empowering designers and brands to dare be more creative than ever before.”

The future is bright for fashion and sportswear as a new era begins at Kornit.