3D Printing Platforms MyMiniFactory and Thingiverse Merge
MyMiniFactory has purchased Thingiverse from Ultimaker, uniting two major 3D printing platforms. The combined entity is now the world's largest creator-focused 3D printing community, with a user base of nearly 8 million. The integration aims to accelerate innovation and collaborative design within the 3D printing ecosystem.
- Thingiverse was originally launched by MakerBot in 2008 before being acquired by Stratasys in 2013, and then ownership transitioned to Ultimaker in 2022 following a merger. Under previous ownership, the platform was perceived by many users to have stagnated, citing issues like failing search functionality, vanishing thumbnails, and a significant data breach in 2021. - MyMiniFactory, founded in 2012, differentiates itself by curating its content; every file is vetted by humans for printability before it goes live. This contrasts with Thingiverse's model as a largely uncurated, open repository. - A key motivation for the acquisition is to position Thingiverse against the rise of AI-generated content. Thingiverse will join MyMiniFactory's "SoulCrafted" initiative, which champions human-made designs and will not allow new AI-generated uploads. - MyMiniFactory has a history of monetizing 3D models for their creators, having paid out over $100 million to designers through its marketplace, which is supported by nearly one million paying customers. - While Thingiverse will remain a standalone and largely free platform, MyMiniFactory plans to introduce sustainable business models that will allow creators to monetize their designs directly on the site for the first time. - Romain Kidd has been appointed as the new CEO of Thingiverse, with Rees Calder as the new Chief Marketing Officer. They will host a live community Q&A on February 17th to discuss the future of the platform. - Prior to acquiring Thingiverse, MyMiniFactory acquired another platform, YouMagine, in 2024, transforming it from a simple file repository into a community where creators could earn income.
