MakerBot Industries
MakerBot Industries is the education-exclusive sub-brand of UltiMaker that designs FDM 3D printers (Sketch Standard, Sketch Sprint), cloud software (Digital Factory), training, and curriculum serving K-12 schools, districts, and higher education institutions in 10,000+ schools worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersNew York, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What MakerBot Industries does
MakerBot Industries, LLC is a private 3D printing hardware and software company headquartered in New York that, since 2022, has operated as the education-exclusive sub-brand of UltiMaker following the merger of the two companies. The company designs and sells FDM 3D printers purpose-built for classroom environments: the Sketch Standard (entry-level) and Sketch Sprint (high-speed) anchor the K-12 line, while UltiMaker S3 and S6 printers extend the offering to higher education and professional use, supporting 190-280+ materials including composites. Hardware is paired with a cloud software stack (Digital Factory for device and student submission management, with CloudPrint now retired, and the open-source UltiMaker Cura slicer) and a recurring services layer including UltiMakerCare extended warranties and the ISTE-certified MakerBot Certification educator training program. The business model is hybrid: hardware one-time purchases range from $799 for a single Sketch Standard to $3,998 for a paired Sprint classroom, supplemented by tiered software subscriptions ($0 to $900/year), educator licensing ($99-$800), materials (PLA and Tough PLA filament), grant-funded K-12 deployments (including a $500,000 MakerBot Gives Back program in 2025), and district multi-year contracts delivered via direct e-commerce, reseller networks, and enterprise field sales across offices in the US, Netherlands, and Singapore. The company claims 10,000+ schools as customers, more than 600 free lesson plans on Thingiverse Education, and a Red Dot Award for Industrial Product Design; notable customer engagements include Calcasieu Parish (400 printers), Montclair School District, Karlsruhe University of Applied Sciences, and Thomas Jefferson University.
MakerBot Industries firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MakerBot Industries
- Legal name
- MakerBot Industries, LLC
- Website
- https://makerbot.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- MakerBot Industries is the education-exclusive sub-brand of UltiMaker that designs FDM 3D printers (Sketch Standard, Sketch Sprint), cloud software (Digital Factory), training, and curriculum serving K-12 schools, districts, and higher education institutions in 10,000+ schools worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MakerBot Industries industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Desktop 3D Printing Hardware
- NAICS
- Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing (3341)
- SIC
- Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment (3555)
- akta.pro primary industry
- 3D Printers (Additive Manufacturing) (HDACAEAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- 3D Printing, CAD & Digital Fabrication Programs (EDAMADAH), Additive Manufacturing Education & Academic Programs (IMAAAJAB), 3D Design & CAD for Additive Manufacturing (IMAAACAA), Machine Control, Firmware & Print Management (IMAAACAD)
Keywords
Where MakerBot Industries is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
MakerBot Industries business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 3D Printer Hardware Sales: Sale of 3D printers including Sketch Standard ($799), Sketch Sprint ($2,399), and classroom bundles ($1,999-$3,998). Also includes advanced UltiMaker S-series printers for higher education and professional applications.
- Software Subscriptions: Digital Factory cloud platform with tiered pricing: Free (up to 8 printers), Classroom ($600/year), School ($900/year). CloudPrint transitioning to Digital Factory.
- Filament and Materials: Sale of PLA and Tough PLA filament materials in multiple colors (20+ colors available). Materials sold in spools for Sketch series printers.
- UltiMakerCare Service Plans: Extended warranty and support plans for printers available in 1-, 2-, 3-, or 5-year terms. Includes hot swap service and direct access to support engineers.
- Certification and Training: Educator certification program ($99-$800) offering professional development credits and ISTE-recognized credentials. District licenses available for customization.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Sketch Basic - Entry-level single printer setup |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Sketch Standard Classroom - Two-printer setup for educators |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Sketch Sprint - Fast single printer for classrooms |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Sketch Sprint Classroom - Two-printer high-capacity setup |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Blended Classroom - Mixed Sketch Standard and Sprint |
| Freemium | Monthly | Digital Factory Free - Entry-level software tier |
| Subscription | Annual | Digital Factory Classroom - Mid-tier for teachers |
| Subscription | Annual | Digital Factory School - Full-featured for institutions |
| Subscription | Annual | Educator License - Single teacher access |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | District License - School district-wide deployment |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | UltiMakerCare - Extended printer protection |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
MakerBot Industries product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MakerBot Industries designs, manufactures, and sells desktop 3D printers, filaments, and companion cloud software purpose-built for K-12 classrooms, school districts, and higher education. The bundled ecosystem includes the Sketch printer line, advanced UltiMaker S-series printers, the Digital Factory cloud management platform, the free UltiMaker Cura slicer, PLA and Tough PLA filament materials, ISTE-certified educator training, and extended UltiMakerCare service plans.
Product overview
MakerBot Industries, a sub-brand of UltiMaker, offers a comprehensive 3D printing ecosystem dedicated solely to education. The product portfolio centers on the Sketch series (Sketch Standard, Sketch Sprint) as the core education-focused 3D printers, supplemented by UltiMaker advanced printers (S3, S6) for higher education and professional applications. The platform includes cloud-based print management software (Digital Factory), free slicing software (UltiMaker Cura), and educational materials (PLA, Tough PLA filaments). Supporting services include the MakerBot Certification training program, Thingiverse Education community, Educator's Guidebook, and UltiMakerCare service plans. Classroom and district-level solution bundles provide complete 3D printing setups with printers, training, curriculum, and materials for K-12 and higher education institutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MakerBot Certification: A self-paced online learning platform that equips students and educators with 3D printing skills, training, and curriculum.
- UltiMaker Digital Factory
- MakerBot CloudPrint
- MakerBot Print
Products and services
- MakerBot Sketch Standard
Quantifiable outcome
- Trusted by 10,000+ schools worldwide
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use MakerBot Industries
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
MakerBot Industries technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability1 record
Feature6 records
MakerBot Industries partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UltiMakercoreMerger between MakerBot and UltiMaker completed in 2022, creating a combined entity focused on accelerating 3D printing innovation and global adoption. MakerBot operates as sub-brand dedicated exclusively to education. UltiMaker provides comprehensive desktop 3D printing ecosystem of hardware, software, and materials.
- Google for EducationcorePartnership to make classroom 3D printing more accessible through Google for Education ecosystem integration. CloudPrint integrates with Google Classroom for seamless student access.
- SME Education FoundationminorJoint MakerBot Scholarship program created by UltiMaker and SME Education Foundation to support the next generation of innovators in manufacturing and engineering careers.
- MyMiniFactoryminorMyMiniFactory acquired Thingiverse, MakerBot's original education community platform, ensuring continued operation and development of the 3D printing resource community.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights7 records
MakerBot Industries competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Formlabs: Competing 3D printer OEM with a strong presence in education (Formlabs Education bundles for K-12 and higher ed). Differs on technology (SLA resin vs. MakerBot's FDM), but directly competes for the same education budget pools and district RFPs.
- Prusa Research: Established FDM 3D printer manufacturer with an active education user base and Prusa Education program. Directly comparable printer hardware and open-source ethos, competing for educational buyers seeking reliability and value.
- XYZprinting: Consumer and education-focused 3D printer OEM with dedicated da Vinci education line. Competes for the same K-12 entry-level printer budget with bundled curriculum offerings.
- Polar 3D (formerly Robo 3D): Education-focused 3D printer maker serving K-12 and STEM programs with classroom-managed printers and curriculum. Directly comparable target customer, bundled curriculum/subscription model, and price band.
Emerging players
- Dremel: Bosch-owned power-tool brand that has sold 3D printers (Dremel DigiLab) into education channels. Comparable K-12 customer profile and classroom-ready positioning, leveraging Dremel's broader tool brand.
- Creality: Large-volume Chinese FDM 3D printer OEM selling low-cost printers through consumer and education channels. Comparable FDM technology, differentiated primarily by aggressive price and broad distribution rather than integrated education curriculum.
- Bambu Lab: Fast-growing FDM 3D printer maker with strong price-performance positioning, increasingly adopted by maker/hobbyist and education segments. Comparable core technology (FDM) but lacking MakerBot's education ecosystem moat.
Broad incumbents
- Stratasys: Industrial-grade 3D printing incumbent that previously owned MakerBot (2013–2022) and continues to sell into education through programs like the Stratasys Education Suite. Comparable education vertical and historical connection to MakerBot's product line.
- UltiMaker: Parent company of MakerBot since the 2022 merger, UltiMaker sells the broader desktop FDM 3D printing ecosystem (S-series, Factor 4, Cura, Digital Factory) to professional and education markets. Directly comparable hardware/software stack and shared product roadmap.
Others
- MyMiniFactory: Acquired MakerBot's Thingiverse community and operates a competing 3D printing content platform. Not a hardware peer, but an ecosystem peer whose content/community assets are adjacent to MakerBot's go-to-market motion.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
MakerBot Industries social profiles
Digital presenceMakerBot Industries compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
MakerBot Industries financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MakerBot Industries leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
MakerBot Industries funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors8 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MakerBot Industries M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about MakerBot Industries
What does MakerBot Industries do?
MakerBot Industries designs, manufactures, and sells desktop 3D printers, filaments, and companion cloud software purpose-built for K-12 classrooms, school districts, and higher education. The bundled ecosystem includes the Sketch printer line, advanced UltiMaker S-series printers, the Digital Factory cloud management platform, the free UltiMaker Cura slicer, PLA and Tough PLA filament materials, ISTE-certified educator training, and extended UltiMakerCare service plans.
Is MakerBot Industries a public or private company?
MakerBot Industries is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was MakerBot Industries founded?
MakerBot Industries was founded in 2011. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is MakerBot Industries based?
MakerBot Industries is headquartered in New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does MakerBot Industries make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. 3D Printer Hardware Sales are the primary driver. The others are software Subscriptions, filament and Materials, ultiMakerCare Service Plans and certification and Training.
Who are MakerBot Industries's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Formlabs, Prusa Research, XYZprinting and Polar 3D (formerly Robo 3D). Emerging players are Dremel, Creality and Bambu Lab. Broad incumbents are Stratasys and UltiMaker. MyMiniFactory is listed as an others.
Does MakerBot Industries have an API?
No public API is recorded for MakerBot Industries.
What industry is MakerBot Industries in?
MakerBot Industries's product category is Desktop 3D Printing Hardware. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDACAEAH, 3D Printers (Additive Manufacturing), with a secondary code of EDAMADAH, 3D Printing, CAD & Digital Fabrication Programs. Its NAICS code is 3341 and its SIC code is 3555.