Fit 4 Start alumni: Persistence pays off for AM 4 AM

After finishing his PhD at LIST, Maxime Delmée was sending out CVs and waited for replies. At some point, instead of continuing to wait, he decided to create his own opportunity. “I was just bored waiting for answers to my job applications, so I created a company,” he recalls.

Together with his partner, also a LIST alumnus, he founded AM 4 AM in Luxembourg, specialising in high-performance aluminium alloy for 3D printing. Their powders extend the range of metals that can be processed, tackling a major limitation in additive manufacturing for space, aeronautics and automotive lightweight applications.

Shaping a stronger pitch

Mr Delmée’s path to Fit 4 Start was not straightforward. His first application was not successful, but he sees this as a turning point. “It helped me to reframe everything. The second time was much better, because I was much more solid in the business assumption.” 

As a result, he urges others not to be discouraged by rejection: apply, even if you are rejected the first time. He stresses that constructive feedback is part of the Fit 4 Start debriefing process and that it can be an opportunity to improve both product and pitch. This persistence paid off and AM 4 AM was accepted on the second attempt.

If you failed once, try again. It is worth it.” Maxime Delmée, CEO and Founder at AM 4 AM

Mr Delmée found the coaching sessions to be the most valuable part of the programme. As a chemist and materials scientist, he initially focused on technical performance. Fit 4 Start helped him shift perspective. 

“We like to show that our material is the best one, but customers don’t care about the technical details. They care about the value you’re bringing.” Learning to present the company in terms of customer benefits was his most important lesson. This change in mindset now shapes how AM 4 AM interacts with clients. 

Foundations for growth

Mr Delmée’s experience shows that Fit 4 Start is not only about funding but about building a strong base for future development overall. “Documents that we created during Fit 4 Start have evolved to better fit our needs, but the baseline is what the programme brought.” One of the coaches even became an investor and advisor, opening doors to further funding. “It was clearly more than what I expected,” he says.

He also highlights the pace of the programme and the importance of making the most of it, including the network of fellow founders. In his view, Fit 4 Start is most beneficial for first‑time founders, especially those with technical backgrounds like himself who need to strengthen their business skills.

Thanks to support from the Ministry of the Economy’s Young Innovative Enterprise grant and a seed round of €1.3 million, AM 4 AM has expanded production in Luxembourg. The revival of the defence sector has further accelerated growth, with staff numbers rising from two to seven and a facility of 600m² equipped with more than 15 machines.

For Mr Delmée, the journey shows how much Fit 4 Start can shape a company’s future. The next steps are about scaling further, but the mindset remains the same: keep improving and keep moving forward.