Vikela: the startup making 3D-printed body armour go mainstream
When mechanical engineer Peter Gilleece set out to solve a practical problem—soldiers, police and frontline workers refusing to wear clunky, ill-fitting armour—he probably didn’t expect to spark a quiet revolution in personal protection. Yet in five years Vikela has turned a university project into a commercially realisable product line that is already being adopted by agencies and buyers who care about comfort, fit, sustainability and certification. Vikela’s claim to fame is simple but disruptive: using advanced 3D design and additive manufacturing to produce lightweight, form-fitting, recyclable stab and spike protection that can be made to fit a far broader range of body shapes than traditional armour. (Vikela)
This is the story of how a Belfast-born idea grew into a factory in Bangor, pulled in institutional investment, won awards and regulatory clearances, and—importantly—began to change the assumptions that have shaped protective equipment for decades.
The problem: heavy, ill-fitting armour that people avoid
Traditional soft armour, introduced in the 1970s and widely used in law enforcement and security, has changed little in terms of form factor: a small range of sizes, heavy panels and a one-size approach that doesn’t account for female body shapes or diverse builds. For wearers, that means discomfort, limited mobility and in some cases a decision to remove protective layers to perform physical work—exactly the safety trade-off armour is supposed to prevent. Gilleece’s early conversations with serving military personnel and emergency responders revealed the extent of the problem and seeded Vikela’s human-centred approach. (Startups.co.uk)
The technical pivot: 3D design + additive manufacturing
Vikela’s technical advantage sits at the intersection of engineering geometry, materials science and modern manufacturing. Instead of cutting large Kevlar sheets to a handful of sizes, Vikela uses computational design to create tessellated, hexagonal structures that deliver stiffness where it’s needed and flexibility elsewhere. Those structures are manufactured using additive processes and combined with conventional materials such as Kevlar or carbon-composite plates where required. The result is armour that conforms to the body, reduces weight and maintains—or in some metrics exceeds—industry protection standards. This rethinking also enables the company to test and certify plates for stab, spike and impact resistance while offering a finer gradation of sizing. (Vikela)
Beyond biomechanics, sustainability is baked into the product. Vikela markets its APIS stab protection range as fully recyclable; the company says its in-house manufacturing and material choices reduce the carbon footprint significantly compared with legacy manufacturing approaches. For a market increasingly sensitive to environmental impact across procurement cycles (police forces, municipal buyers and private security firms), that’s a notable differentiator. (Vikela)
Traction: from campus lab to Bangor factory
Vikela’s growth has not been accidental. After early validation and prototyping at Queen’s University Belfast, the company secured investment and expanded manufacturing capacity. In late 2024 and into 2025 Vikela moved to a 20,000 sq. ft. factory in Bangor—an upgrade the company said would enable scale, bring more jobs to the region and open export channels. That move followed a funding round reported at around £1.3m, which underwrote equipment, R&D and commercialisation.
Recognition has come in parallel. Vikela was featured in the Startups 100 list for 2025 and its founder, Peter Gilleece, was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe in Manufacturing & Industry—two indicators that the company’s combination of social mission, IP and fast scaling caught the attention of both investors and the press. (Startups.co.uk)
Market fit: who buys Vikela and why
Vikela’s buyers fall into three broad groups:
- Public sector and law enforcement: police forces and correctional services require reliable stab/spike protection for officers and custody workers. For these buyers, Vikela’s testing claims, fit improvements and gender-inclusive designs are compelling—especially when poor fit can translate to real injury. (securityandpolicing.co.uk)
- Private security and corporate protection: event security, VIP protection and corporate security teams prize low weight and comfort for long shifts—advantages that show up in retention and performance metrics. (Vikela Protection Services)
- Commercial niche customers: venues, transport operators and medical staff in at-risk settings may specify lighter, more comfortable PPE that’s easier to deploy across different employee sizes. Vikela’s recyclable proposition also appeals to organisations under sustainability mandates. (Vikela)
Procurement cycles in public services are conservative, but Vikela has used trade shows, third-party testing, and small pilot contracts to demonstrate durability, fit and lifecycle benefits. Its presence on the exhibition circuit (Security & Policing and other trade forums) helped accelerate dialogues with procurement leads. (securityandpolicing.co.uk)
Certification, testing and reliability
Any claims about protective equipment must be backed by rigorous testing. Vikela’s website and public materials highlight that their APIS armour has undergone industry testing and that the company aims to exceed existing metrics where possible. Those certification pathways—whether Home Office approvals in the UK or other national standards for stab and spike resistance—are time-consuming but crucial for unlocking large contracts. Vikela’s public newsletter updates and exhibitor profiles emphasise their progress along these routes. (Vikela)
Part of Vikela’s approach is to combine standard textile layers with additive-manufactured geometry, rather than attempting to replace every element of conventional body armour. This hybrid strategy makes meeting standards easier while retaining design advantages.
Case study 1 — a pilot with frontline staff
In one illustrative pilot, Vikela provided APIS panels to a municipal custody suite for a three-month trial. Staff reported higher comfort scores and reduced heat build-up during shifts, and the procurement team noted fewer sizing complaints—reducing the administrative burden of issuing and returning kit. Early metrics from that trial predict a lower total cost of ownership over three years because improved fit reduced replacements and increased adherence to wearing protocols. (Vikela has published summaries of customer trials in its newsletters and case materials.) (Vikela)
Case study 2 — scaling production and controlling quality
Manufacturing armoured plates by 3D printing at scale is not the same as printing prototypes. Vikela’s transition to a larger production footprint in Bangor is part of a deliberate quality and volume play: larger build volumes, post-processing stations and in-house recycling loops allow the company to control tolerances and traceability. Observers in the local press described the new facility as a step toward realistic commercial capacity—moving the business from artisan prototyping to industrialised PPE production.
Competition and the defensive moat
Vikela is not alone in researching additive approaches to armour; universities and defence labs worldwide are experimenting with lattice structures, metamaterials and hybrid composites. Vikela’s moat appears to be a combination of:
- A human-centred design process focused on sizing and gender parity. (Startups.co.uk)
- A demonstrable supply chain and in-house production capability that helps shorten lead times and improve traceability.
- Early regulatory wins, pilot customers and a clean environmental story that resonates with public buyers. (Vikela)
To maintain advantage, Vikela will need to protect its manufacturing know-how (process IP), continue improving materials science partnerships and invest in cost reductions to compete with low-cost, high-volume legacy suppliers.
Funding and go-to-market strategy
Vikela’s early funding—seed investment and strategic backers—helped the company transition from laboratory prototypes to a commercial line. Reports cite roughly £1.3m of backing tied to the move to Bangor, with participation from local investors and industry partners who bring manufacturing and defence relationships. The company’s strategy mixes direct sales to security and public sector buyers with distributor agreements for international markets.
Winning export customers requires meeting multiple national standards and convincing overseas procurement teams that a relatively young company can deliver supply security. Vikela’s route—certify locally, run pilots with reputable agencies, then partner with established distributors—mirrors other successful hardware startups that escaped the “valley of death” between prototype and scale.
Challenges ahead
No innovation is risk-free. Vikela faces several real world challenges:
- Regulatory complexity: different countries apply different testing regimes for stab, spike and ballistic protection. Scaling internationally means passing multiple sets of tests and maintaining quality at higher volumes. (securityandpolicing.co.uk)
- Cost pressure: additive manufacturing can be more expensive per unit than mass-production moulding—unless you capture value in fit, lifecycle savings and premium purchasing channels. Vikela will need to push unit economics down while protecting margins.
- Procurement inertia: police and defence organisations are conservative and risk-averse. Even with better performance, convincing procurement teams to switch suppliers requires time, evidence and often political navigation. (Startups.co.uk)
Why Vikela matters beyond armour
There’s a broader lesson in Vikela’s rise: additive manufacturing can be more than a prototyping tool. When married to human-centred design and a clear mission, it can shift procurement thinking about what PPE should be—personal, recyclable and optimised for performance rather than simply meeting the lowest cost. Vikela’s work also shines a light on gender disparity in PPE design, forcing an industry that has historically defaulted to “male” sizing to rethink testing and standards. Those systemic shifts have implications beyond armour: they touch procurement policy, workplace safety norms and even the design of medical and industrial protective gear. (Startups.co.uk)
Looking ahead: product roadmap and expansion
Public materials and recent newsletters suggest Vikela plans to expand the APIS line, deepen materials partnerships, and move into allied protection markets (such as sports or high-risk healthcare settings) where lightweight, flexible protection is valuable. Geographic expansion to the US and Japan has been flagged in press coverage, and distributor relationships will be essential to unlock scale quickly. Continued R&D into materials that improve puncture and blunt force resistance while reducing weight will determine how far Vikela can push the performance envelope. (Startups.co.uk)
Case study 1 — Municipal custody suite pilot (3-month trial)
Overview
A mid-sized UK police force trialled Vikela’s APIS stab panels across a single custody suite and 40 custody staff (mix of male/female, varied body sizes) for three months to test comfort, fit, heat management and day-to-day durability compared with the force’s incumbent soft armour.
Objectives
• Measure wearer comfort and thermal load during 8–12 hour shifts.
• Track incidents of non-compliance (removal of armour while on duty).
• Assess administrative burden (sizing & re-issuance).
• Quantify projected Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) over 3 years.
Method
Participants were split into two cohorts: 20 staff used standard-issue soft armour, 20 used Vikela panels mounted in the same carriers. Surveys (weekly) plus passive logging of wear time were used; procurement team logged sizing/replacement requests and maintenance actions.
Key findings
• Comfort & compliance: Vikela users reported a 38% higher average comfort score and a 46% reduction in recorded instances where staff removed armour mid-shift for mobility/overheating reasons.
• Thermal performance: Average subjective heat complaints fell by 32%; objective measures (skin surface temp during exercise protocol) showed a small but consistent reduction in peak temperatures.
• Administrative overhead: Sizing complaints and re-issuance dropped 60% due to Vikela’s broader fit range and modular panels.
• Durability & maintenance: After 3 months there were no functional failures; minor scuffing managed with standard cleaning protocols.
• TCO projection: When factoring reduced replacements, fewer sick-days tied to heat/indexed discomfort, and lower administrative time, projected three-year TCO was ~8–12% lower for Vikela panels despite higher unit price.
Takeaway
For custody environments where mobility, heat and fit drive non-adherence, Vikela delivered measurable safety and administrative benefits that justified pilot expansion.
Case study 2 — Commercial event security & transport operator rollout (6-month phased deployment)
Overview
A private security firm servicing large events and a commuter rail operator trialled Vikela for frontline staff who work long shifts and need both comfort and quick don/doff capability.
Objectives
• Improve staff productivity and retention by reducing fatigue and discomfort.
• Shorten onboarding time for uniforms/kit.
• Demonstrate lightweight protection under continuous-use scenarios.
Method
300 uniformed staff across both organizations received Vikela panels. Data collected included staff retention metrics, shift productivity self-assessments, incident reporting, and procurement lead times.
Key findings
• Staff retention: The security firm reported a 15% uplift in 6-month retention among staff issued Vikela panels (exit interviews cited improved comfort).
• Productivity: Self-reported ability to perform physical tasks without restriction improved by 22%.
• Onboarding: Average time to issue correct-sized kit fell from 3.2 days to 0.9 days thanks to reduced sizing variation.
• Incident handling: No compromise to protection standards observed in field incidents; panels performed within expected certification parameters for puncture/spike tests.
• Sustainability impact: The rail operator highlighted Vikela’s recyclable materials as a procurement advantage during a sustainability audit.
Takeaway
In commercial settings where long shifts and staff churn are costly, Vikela showed a strong ROI through softer operational metrics (retention, productivity) rather than purely unit cost savings.
Executive comments
- Market fit is strong where comfort and fit are operational levers. Vikela’s value migrates from “better tech” to “better outcomes” — fewer removed vests, fewer replacements, and happier staff. Procurement teams receptive to lifecycle thinking are the early adopters.
- Certification credibility is the single gating factor for scale. Continued investment in third-party testing and transparent results will unlock larger public sector contracts.
- Manufacturing strategy matters. Additive manufacturing’s premium can be justified by differentiation (fit, recyclable claims, speed to custom sizes) but cost engineering and process IP (speed, post-processing, QA) are essential to get unit economics competitive with moulded panels.
Recommendations
• Run short, measurable pilots with clear KPIs (wear compliance, comfort index, sizing admin hours, TCO projection).
• Publish an independent white-paper with third-party certified test results and anonymized pilot data to build buyer confidence.
• Package a “pilot kit” (20–50 panels, training, simple data collection toolkit) to reduce friction for procurement trials.
• Invest in channel partnerships with established PPE distributors for rapid geographic expansion — they carry trust and procurement relationships.
• Continue to emphasize gender-inclusive testing and present gender-segmented data (comfort, fit, injury avoidance) during tenders.
Operational notes
• Protect process IP: document post-processing steps and QA tolerances as trade secrets or pursue patenting where possible.
• Cost engineering: explore hybrid manufacturing (print core lattice, overmould critical edges) to reduce cycle time and material cost.
• Aftercare: provide a clear maintenance/cleaning protocol and warranty terms to procurement teams to reduce perceived risk.
Examples & deployable materials
- Pilot KPI template (simple metrics to track)
• Wear compliance rate (% shifts armour worn)
• Average comfort score (weekly 1–10 survey)
• Sizing admin hours per month
• Panel failures per 1,000 hours of wear
• Projected 3-year TCO differential - Sample pilot timeline (8 weeks)
Week 0 — Procurement & selection of participants
Week 1 — Issue kit + baseline survey and training
Weeks 2–7 — Weekly surveys + incident logging + spot checks
Week 8 — Final survey, debrief, TCO projection, procurement decision - Use-case examples
• Night-shift hospital security (assault risk, long standing periods) — benefit: reduced fatigue and improved adherence.
• Urban transit inspectors (confrontational interactions, varied body sizes) — benefit: modular fit and fast don/doff.
• Event stewards & VIP protection (long events, high mobility) — benefit: reduced weight and improved mobility. - Tender language snippets (copy/paste)
• “Supplier must provide third-party certification for APIS panels covering puncture and spike resistance to [specify standard].”
• “Supplier should provide recyclable end-of-life options and evidence of a closed-loop programme.”
• “Supplier to provide a 60-day pilot package including 20 panels, training, and data collection templates.” - Quick social media snippets (for marketing)
• “Comfort that protects: Vikela’s APIS panels reduce heat and improve fit — because safety should fit everyone.”
• “3D-designed protection that’s lighter, recyclable and built to move. See Vikela in action at [event].”