The 3D printing service provider Shapeways has filed for insolvency. This marks the provisional end of an era for one of the companies that played a key role in making additive manufacturing technologies accessible to a wide audience.
Shapeways went public in 2021 through a SPAC merger. Since then, the company has seen its share price fall steadily. The goal of scaling manufacturing through a powerful software platform could not be realised as hoped. Although sales remained stable in 2022, this was not enough to fulfil investors’ expectations.
Shapeways started as one of the first online B2C and B2B 3D printing services in Eindhoven. The business model required significant initial investment, which was made possible by the support of hardware companies such as EOS, 3D Systems and Stratasys. The company expanded into the US and relocated its headquarters to New York.
In contrast, competitor Sculpteo chose a different path and was acquired by BASF in 2019. This allowed Sculpteo to further develop its business without pressure from major investors. Sculpteo now operates as an independent medium-sized company within the newly founded Forward AM Technologies.
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