Innovators of Tomorrow: The Top 12 3D Printing Startups of 2019 Shaping Additive Manufacturing’s Future

The year 2019 was a landmark period for innovation in additive manufacturing, with numerous groundbreaking companies pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with 3D printing technology. Throughout the year, the 3Dnatives team diligently highlighted some of the most disruptive players in the field through our exclusive #3DStartup series. Each month, we featured visionary startups that stood out for their revolutionary machines, innovative technologies, or transformative applications. Now, it’s time to celebrate their remarkable achievements and look back at the companies that truly defined the year.

We’ve meticulously compiled a definitive list of the 12 most impactful 3D printing startups from 2019—companies poised to reshape the additive manufacturing landscape for years to come. These trailblazers represent the cutting edge of industrial 3D printing, sustainable manufacturing, and advanced material development. We invite you, our readers, to reflect on their contributions and cast your vote for your favorite company that captured your imagination and demonstrated unparalleled potential. Below, you’ll find a comprehensive recap of these twelve extraordinary startups, each a testament to the dynamic evolution of 3D printing.

January – Spare Parts 3D: Revolutionizing Digital Inventory Management

One of the most compelling advantages of additive manufacturing lies in its capacity to digitize spare parts, effectively reducing or even eliminating the need for vast physical inventories. This is precisely where the French startup Spare Parts 3D identified a critical market opportunity. Founded by Paul Guillaumont, the company developed sophisticated 3D software designed to digitize industrial-level spare parts, streamlining the process of 3D printing these digital files on demand. Spare Parts 3D’s ambitious goal is to establish a global production network for parts across more than 70 countries. This innovative approach promises to drastically cut storage costs, minimize waste, and reduce the environmental impact associated with traditional manufacturing and supply chains. By facilitating digital stocking, they are paving the way for a more agile and sustainable future in industrial maintenance and logistics.

February – Spectroplast: Pioneering High-Precision Silicone 3D Printing

Spectroplast, a dynamic company established in 2018 as a spin-off from the prestigious ETH Zurich, earned its place among the top 3D startups of 2019 by developing a groundbreaking process for high-precision silicone 3D printing. Silicone, a highly versatile and biocompatible material, is crucial in countless applications, ranging from industrial sealants to advanced medical implants. This innovative young company customizes its materials based on commercial silicones, meticulously addressing the unique requirements of each client. Their proprietary materials are fully compatible with established SLA and DLP 3D printing technologies, leveraging photopolymerization principles to achieve unparalleled detail and material integrity. Spectroplast is opening new frontiers for silicone applications, particularly in sectors demanding precision, biocompatibility, and customization.

March – Colossus: The Future of Large-Scale Sustainable 3D Printing

At Formnext 2018, Colossus made a significant splash by unveiling its revolutionary 3D printer housed within a shipping container concept. This colossal machine, recognized as one of the world’s largest industrial 3D printers, leverages FFF (Fused Filament Fabrication) technology. What truly sets Colossus apart is its profound commitment to sustainability: it’s designed to repurpose plastic waste, transforming it into massive 3D models. This ingenious application seamlessly merges advanced 3D printing capabilities with environmental responsibility, a combination that has garnered widespread acclaim. The Belgian-based company has rapidly expanded its portfolio, now offering three distinct large-scale machines, proving the viability and demand for eco-conscious, large-format additive manufacturing solutions.

April – Voxel8: Advancing Multi-Material 3D Printing for Footwear

Voxel8, an American pioneer, is at the forefront of developing sophisticated multi-material 3D printing solutions specifically tailored for the demanding sports industry. Utilizing its proprietary ActiveMix® and ActiveImage® technologies, Voxel8 empowers manufacturers to produce high-performance reactive elastomers with an incredibly diverse range of properties. This includes the capability to integrate full digital color materials within a single print, enabling unprecedented design freedom and functional integration. These advanced technologies are integrated into their cutting-edge ActiveLab® Digital Fabrication System, which has been enthusiastically adopted for the rapid development and production of innovative sporting goods. Voxel8 is driving the future of footwear and apparel, offering custom, high-performance solutions with unparalleled efficiency.

May – Glassomer: Achieving the Unthinkable with Glass 3D Printing

Hailing from Germany, Glassomer made headlines as the first company to successfully achieve high-quality glass 3D printing. Their breakthrough lies in the creation of unique nanocomposites, aptly named Glassomers. These materials boast a high concentration of glass powder combined with a photocurable resin binder, which ingeniously allows for the 3D printing of glass using standard commercial resin 3D printers. This innovative technology has unlocked a vast array of possibilities, from manufacturing highly integrated microfluidic chemical reactors to producing compact, precision optics. Furthermore, Glassomer’s applications extend into critical sectors such as medical technology, the automotive industry, and even fine jewelry, marking a significant leap forward in material science and additive manufacturing.

June – Bone3D: Enhancing Surgical Precision with Medical 3D Printing

Bone3D, a French company, has emerged as a key player in the medical sector by specializing in the development of customized surgical guides and realistic surgical simulators. These invaluable tools assist physicians in preparing for complex operations, significantly mitigating risks and improving patient outcomes. By leveraging advanced additive manufacturing technologies such as stereolithography and Material Jetting, Bone3D creates highly accurate anatomical models. These models empower medical professionals to meticulously plan surgeries with greater precision, thereby enhancing the likelihood of successful interventions. The company’s innovative applications underscore the tremendous and accelerating growth of 3D printing within the medical industry, which continues to see an impressive annual growth rate of 35%.

July – AMBOTS: Unleashing the Power of Swarm 3D Printing Robots

AMBOTS introduced a truly revolutionary concept in 2019: “swarm 3D printing.” This US-based company, which originated from pioneering research at the University of Arkansas, develops collective autonomous manufacturing systems utilizing a network of robots programmed to work and print collaboratively in teams. These programmable robots possess diverse printing capabilities and can coordinate their efforts to achieve complex manufacturing tasks. While currently focused on FDM technology, AMBOTS envisions a future where these robotic swarms can incorporate additional functionalities, such as CNC machining or automated assembly, promising an entirely new paradigm for scalable and flexible industrial production. Their vision represents a significant leap towards fully automated and adaptable manufacturing processes.

August – 3devo: Transforming Plastic Waste into High-Quality 3D Filaments

Launched in 2016 in the Netherlands, 3devo is tackling a critical environmental challenge by enabling the reuse of plastic waste and its transformation into high-quality 3D printing filament. To achieve this ambitious goal, the 3devo team engineered a suite of three interconnected machines. The Shr3d is a robust shredder that efficiently converts plastic waste into usable granules. The Filament Maker then takes these granules and precisely extrudes them into customized 3D filaments. Finally, the Airid drying system ensures the filament’s optimal quality and functionality by removing moisture. This comprehensive closed-loop system offers a compelling solution for reducing plastic waste and is expected to be widely adopted by companies eager to embrace more sustainable manufacturing practices and minimize their ecological footprint.

September – 3DNextech: Mastering the Art of 3D Printed Part Finishing

3DNextech, an innovative Italian company, is behind the development of the 3DFinisher, a compact desktop machine designed to dramatically enhance the post-treatment of parts produced using FDM (Fused Deposition Modeling) technology. The 3DFinisher is not merely about aesthetics; it delivers parts that are waterproof, remarkably smooth, durable, and exhibit significantly increased mechanical capabilities. The machine’s advanced technology relies on a precisely controlled chemical process performed within a sealed chamber. This allows for meticulous control over the part’s parameters and the desired finish, all without requiring manual handling of chemical agents. Furthermore, the system can be operated remotely, ensuring safety and efficiency while unlocking new levels of quality for FDM printed components.

October – Inkbit: Integrating AI and Vision into Additive Manufacturing

In October, Inkbit was recognized as one of the standout 3D startups of 2019 for its pioneering work in combining artificial intelligence with additive manufacturing. This American company, a spin-off from the esteemed MIT, has engineered an industrial 3D printer that incorporates advanced vision systems and AI to produce high-precision, multi-material parts. What Inkbit’s creators describe as “eyes” and a “brain” allows the printer to continuously scan each layer as it’s built, enabling real-time error correction. Beyond this, the AI predicts the behavior of the materials during the printing process, optimizing for superior quality and consistency. This significant milestone promises to boost production efficiency and accelerate the adoption of more intelligent and automated machines across the 3D printing industry.

November – Andiamo: An AI-Powered Platform for Custom Orthotics

Andiamo, a London-based startup, is transforming the field of medical orthotics with its innovative 3D printing and Artificial Intelligence platform. Working in close collaboration with hospitals, Andiamo develops custom-fit orthoses, offering significant medical benefits in terms of both speed and cost savings. The platform begins with a sophisticated CAD/CAM system for initial design. At this crucial stage, AI is employed to precisely scale and optimize the design, ensuring an unparalleled fit for each individual patient. Furthermore, the web-based platform allows doctors to evaluate and review the orthosis designs from any browser, streamlining the entire workflow from prescription to production. Andiamo is making personalized healthcare more accessible and efficient through intelligent additive manufacturing.

December – TRIDITIVE: Scaling Additive Manufacturing for Series Production

A year ago, TRIDITIVE introduced its groundbreaking additive manufacturing solution, AMCELL. This advanced 3D printer is specifically engineered for high-volume series production of parts using both polymers and metals. AMCELL enables 24/7 continuous manufacturing thanks to its unique scalable modular design, which can be flexibly adapted to meet the specific production demands of any company. Its proprietary AMD (Automated Multimaterial Deposition) technology allows for the printing of metal parts through a process similar to MIM (Metal Injection Molding) and FDM. This involves material extrusion, followed by a sintering process, to yield fully dense, 100% metallic components. TRIDITIVE is effectively bridging the gap between prototyping and true industrial mass production in additive manufacturing, setting a new standard for efficiency and scalability.

As this comprehensive review illustrates, 2019 was an exceptionally vibrant year for #3DStartups, showcasing a wide array of innovations that promise to redefine various industries. From sustainable manufacturing and advanced material development to medical applications and industrial automation, these companies have significantly advanced the additive manufacturing landscape. Your opinion matters! We invite you to reflect on these remarkable achievements and cast your vote in our official #3DStartup of 2019 poll to help us crown the #3DStartup of the year. Your engagement helps us celebrate the pioneers who are truly shaping the future of 3D printing.