Oulu, Finland, and Pugnac, France — TactoTek, the pioneer of In-Mold Structural Electronics (IMSE), today announced the signing of a Manufacturing Partner Agreement with Symbiose, a France-based advanced printed electronics company with strong expertise in In-Mold Electronics (IME). The partnership expands manufacturing capability within the IMSE ecosystem and supports the growing demand for IMSE solutions in automotive programs worldwide.
Symbiose brings extensive industrial experience in IME and proven capabilities in high-precision printed electronics, flexible circuitry, and functional foil production, which naturally extend into IMSE industrialization. Thanks to its vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities, Symbiose benefits from cost efficiencies within the IMSE ecosystem. Under the agreement, Symbiose will license IMSE technology, enabling its participation in IMSE-related prototype and mass production initiatives in collaboration with TactoTek and ecosystem partners. The company is already preparing for participation in automotive mass production programs utilizing IMSE-based functional films designed to meet stringent performance and durability requirements for automotive-grade production.
TactoTek’s IMSE technology integrates lighting, touch controls, electrical components, and circuitry directly into three-dimensional molded structures. By replacing conventional multi-component architectures with structural electronics, IMSE enables lightweight, thin smart surfaces that combine distinctive design and improved performance with reduced assembly complexity and lower total system cost.
“We have followed TactoTek’s progress closely and recognize the maturity of IMSE for automotive mass production, as well as its accelerating market adoption,” said Jean-Pierre Estanol, CEO of Symbiose. “Expanding our capabilities to include IMSE is a natural next step for us. We see significant business opportunities, particularly in automotive applications where scalable, integrated electronic solutions are increasingly required. We look forward to collaborating on active automotive RFQs and strengthening our product offering to IMSE high-volume production programs.”
“We are pleased to see this partnership become a reality and warmly welcome Symbiose to the IMSE ecosystem,” said Jussi Harvela, CEO of TactoTek. “Their strong expertise in advanced printed electronics and IME mass manufacturing significantly strengthens the supply chain for IMSE functional films. This agreement underscores the accelerating consolidation of the structural electronics market and the growing alignment around the IMSE platform as the scalable industrial standard. With the synergies of this partnership, we are confident that together we will achieve great success in delivering innovative IMSE solutions to the market.”
The collaboration strengthens both companies’ commitment to advancing structural electronics and enabling next-generation smart surface solutions for future mobility.
About TactoTek
TactoTek®, Oy (Oulu, Finland), is the world leader in developing and licensing In-Mold Structural Electronics (IMSE®) technologies. Automotive, aviation, connected home, industrial control, and medical brands use TactoTek innovations to create next-generation user experiences that are compelling, differentiated, and more sustainable. Designers use TactoTek IP to integrate circuits and components directly into plastic parts, transforming conventional structures into smart interactive surfaces. TactoTek licenses its intellectual property, including over 310 patents and critical know-how developed over nearly 15 years of intensive R&D and quality testing, to global manufacturers who use reliable, standardized manufacturing processes to produce curved-shape and conformal electronics.
Learn more at www.tactotek.com
About Symbiose
Based in Pugnac, in southwest France, Symbiose designs and industrializes active electronic surfaces through printed electronics on flexible films, with a particular focus on IME (In-Mold Electronics) technology. Built around a multidisciplinary team of experts, the company masters the integration of electronic functions—including touch sensors, conductive circuits, backlighting and decorative elements—directly within plastic parts, enabling the creation of reliable, compact interfaces with a clean and functional design. Leveraging state-of-the-art industrial processes such as conductive ink screen printing, electronic component pick-and-place and high-pressure thermoforming, Symbiose develops high-precision solutions for demanding markets including automotive, home appliances, aerospace and medical. Committed to continuous innovation, the company works on optimizing materials, processes and the performance of next-generation electronic surfaces.
