Phononic Vibes is a Milan company that designs and manufactures acoustic metamaterials, structures whose shape replaces the mass that noise control normally needs.
Founded in 2018 as a spin-off of Politecnico di Milano by Luca D’Alessandro, Giovanni Capellari and Stefano Caverni, the company sells noise and vibration products into rail, energy, industry, construction and mobility. Its catalogue runs to more than 40 product lines: noise barriers including the transparent MetaWindow and the MOBI mobile barrier, MetaResonators and low-frequency panels, enclosures and cabins, silencers, ground-vibration modules and firewall insulation for vehicles. The company lists more than 100 people on its site and manufactures in Italy.
The technical claim is weight. Conventional acoustic performance is bought with mass, which drives the cost of the foundations, the gantries and the handling around a barrier as much as the barrier itself. Phononic Vibes says its products reach the same acoustic performance up to 30% lighter, or perform better at the same weight, using a proprietary design engine covered by 18 patent families.
Two references anchor the commercial story. Deutsche Bahn certified the company’s transparent noise barrier for the German rail network, which the company says is the first see-through panel it rates as highly absorbing. Mercedes-Benz uses the technology in series production, which the company says is the first metamaterial in a series-production car. The contractors Webuild and Eteria use its barriers on infrastructure work.
The company says revenue has doubled every year since 2018 and that it reached break-even in 2025. It raised a €2.3 million round announced in 2020, and in October 2026 announced a €25 million round led by Jolt Capital, with Eureka! Venture SGR, CDP Venture Capital SGR and Simest SpA participating, and 360 Capital exiting the stake it had held since the seed.
Site: phononic-vibes.com. More European materials companies on the advanced materials desk.