Predictions of calamity in the 3D printing industry are premature; online marketplace 3D Hubs scores $7 million dollars in Series B funding.
Startup 3D Hubs is one of the leading lights in today’s 3D printing industry, with an innovative business model for crowd-sourcing 3D printing services in your local area.
The company has offices in Amsterdam and New York, and to date has a network of more than 32,000 3D printing enthusiasts and professionals offering services like real-time quotes and zero inventory manufacturing.
Their trend reports also provide real-time information about the best desktop 3D printers – based on print quality reviews by 3D Hubs customers — and their popularity worldwide.
To these positive signs we can add one more item of good cheer; it’s been disclosed that 3D Hubs has closed $7 million in Series B funding.
Or, to be more precise, documents filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission specify the figure of $6,999,998 dollars.
Confidence in 3D Hubs is Looking Strong
According to reports in TechCrunch, the round was led by EQT Ventures, with backing from previous investor Balderton Capital. Ted Persson, Design Partner at EQT Ventures, will also be joining the board of directors at 3D Hubs.
“We’ve connected 3D printers from around the world to our online platform to let anybody access them,” 3D Hubs co-founder and CEO Bram de Zwart told TechCrunch. “So if you don’t own a 3D printer, you can go to our website and upload your design and we route your order to the best local supplier”.
Based on company profile data from Owler, this brings the total funding in 3D Hubs to $11.5 million dollars; data on their revenues has not been disclosed.
Perhaps these sums dwarf in comparison to the $78 million dollars invested in Shapeways, another 3D printing startup based in the Netherlands, but it’s certainly an indication that investor confidence is strong in the company.
For additional perspectives on the growth prospects for the 3D printing industry, have a read of the Ernst & Young “Global 3D Printing Report 2016”, which is based on a survey of 900 companies around the world.
