Industrial 3D printing and additive manufacturing company Stratasys has struck a deal with Bre Pettis’ MakerBot to merge in a stock-for-stock transaction. Once finished, MakerBot will act as a subsidiary of Stratasys.
The idea is that this merging will accelerate the development of desktop 3D printers, especially as more professionals are using MakerBots for CAD work. The merger includes acquisition of Thingiverse, Makerware software, MakerBot filament, their retail store, the MakerBot 3D Photo Booth, as well as all strategic corporate partnerships.
In response to news of the merger, Stratasys CEO David Reis says,
MakerBot’s 3D printers are rapidly being adopted by CAD-trained designers and engineers. Bre Pettis and his team at MakerBot have built the strongest brand in the desktop 3D printer category by delivering an exceptional user experience. MakerBot has impressive products, and we believe that the company’s strategy of making 3D printing accessible and affordable will continue to drive adoption. I am looking forward to working with Bre.
MakerBot was begun as a company based on open-source hardware. Recently they have wavered on that initial stance, and there is no word at this time on whether that will change or not, although the announcement noted, “Stratasys and MakerBot will jointly develop and implement strategies for building on their complementary strengths, intellectual property and technical know-how, and other unique assets and capabilities.”
Bre did have this to say about the merger:
The last couple of years have been incredibly inspiring and exciting for us. We have an aggressive model for growth, and partnering with Stratasys will allow us to supercharge our mission to empower individuals to make things using a MakerBot, and allow us to bring 3D technology to more people. I am excited about the opportunities this combination will bring to our current and future customers.
MakerBot and Stratasys will host a News Conference at MakerBot’s headquarters located at One MetroTech Center (Jay Street) 21st Floor, Brooklyn, New York on Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. To attend, please contact Jenifer Howard at jenifer.howard@makerbot.com. The event can be accessed live at http://www.makerbot.com; and an archive will be made available at http://mbot.co/press062013.
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