What BuildBee does

BuildBee Pty Ltd (formerly Me3D) is an Australia-based cloud software company that provides an all-in-one 3D printing platform for individual makers, schools, makerspaces, and enterprise users. Founded in 2014 in Wollongong and pivoted to software in 2017, the platform combines cloud-based slicing for both filament and resin printers with multi-printer management, remote monitoring via live video, queueing with cost and time estimates, and one-click design tools (cookie cutter, lithophane, model repair). The technical backbone includes a cloud slicing engine, an AI-driven print settings recommender built on a cross-user database of print statistics, and integrations with more than nine CAD/model platforms (Tinkercad, Fusion 360, Blender, Thingiverse, HeroForge, MyMiniFactory, OpenSCAD, SculptGL, MakeCode) plus printer-side integrations via an OctoPrint plugin and a Raspberry Pi CloudDock image.

BuildBee monetizes through a freemium SaaS model with three tiers: Basic (free), Unlimited (US$6/month or US$5/month annually), and Education (US$15/month per printer) with advanced group management, permissions, and usage dashboards. Distribution is primarily product-led via web, desktop (Windows/Mac), and mobile apps, complemented by direct sales outreach to education and enterprise accounts and a self-publishing model in which printer manufacturers and filament suppliers create and host their own profiles on BuildBee's GitHub-based profile system. A supplementary BuildBee Shop generates affiliate commissions on Amazon-linked 3D printing hardware and consumables.

The customer base spans thousands of individual users and hundreds of schools and institutions across Australia, Asia, the USA, and Europe, with named references including Warilla High School and the University of Wollongong Student MakerSpace. Operational signals include AWS EdStart membership, Stripe-powered subscription billing, a 1% revenue commitment to Stripe Climate, and a small (1–10 employee) team led by co-founders Leanne Connelly (CEO) and Matt Connelly (Chief Growth Officer), with Matt Griffiths as CTO.

Name

BuildBee

Legal name

BuildBee Pty Ltd (trading as BuildBee)

Website

https://buildbee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

BuildBee is an Australia-based cloud SaaS platform that provides all-in-one 3D printing software — cloud slicing, multi-printer management, and AI-driven print settings — for individual makers, schools, makerspaces, and enterprise users worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

3D Printing Software

akta.pro primary industry

Slicing & Build Preparation Software (IMAAACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

3D Design & CAD for Additive Manufacturing (IMAAACAA), Machine Control, Firmware & Print Management (IMAAACAD), 3D Printing, CAD & Digital Fabrication Programs (EDAMADAH)

Keywords

• 3D printing software
• Cloud slicing platform
• Printer management
• STEM education tools
• Additive manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Wollongong

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Software Subscriptions: BuildBee generates revenue primarily through tiered SaaS subscription plans (Basic free, Unlimited paid, Education paid). Subscriptions are billed monthly or annually with a discount for annual billing (20% savings). Education plan is priced per printer per month.
2. Affiliate/Referral Revenue from Shop: The BuildBee Shop links to third-party products (3D printers, filament, accessories) via affiliate links on Amazon. BuildBee earns commissions when users purchase through these links, supporting the platform's operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BuildBee sells an all-in-one cloud-based 3D printing software platform that lets users slice, queue, monitor, and remotely control filament and resin 3D printers from web, desktop, and mobile apps. The platform bundles AI-assisted print settings, model storage and repair, multi-user group management, and integrations with major CAD tools, sold via freemium subscriptions (Basic free, Unlimited, Education per-printer) for individual makers, schools, makerspaces, and enterprises.

Product overview

BuildBee is an all-in-one cloud-based 3D printing software platform consisting of a core web application combined with multiple integrated products and subscription tiers. The core BuildBee platform provides cloud slicing, model storage, printer management, and design tools accessible via web, desktop app (BuildBee Desktop), and mobile (Android app). The subscription portfolio includes Basic (free), Unlimited ($6/month), and Education ($15/month per printer) plans. Key supporting products include BuildBee MakeCode for coding-in-3D design, BuildBee Plater for model layout, BuildBee CloudDock and OctoPrint Plugin for printer connectivity, and specialized tools like the Cookie Cutter Generator and Lithophane Creator. The platform supports integration with major CAD applications including Tinkercad, Fusion 360, Blender, and others through native export options and dedicated plugins.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BuildBee Core Platform All-in-one cloud-based 3D printing software platform for individuals, makerspaces, schools, and enterprises that bundles slicing, model storage, printer management, and design tools accessible via web, desktop, and mobile.
• BuildBee MakeCode Block-based parametric coding environment that lets users create 3D designs by combining mathematics, art, and programming for direct 3D printing, with step-by-step tutorials targeting STEM learners.
• BuildBee Desktop Mac and Windows desktop application that hosts a user's local 3D printer connections to the BuildBee cloud, enabling cloud printing without additional equipment.
• BuildBee CloudDock Raspberry Pi-based device and downloadable OS image that wirelessly connects 3D printers to the BuildBee cloud without requiring a PC host.
• BuildBee OctoPrint Plugin Plugin for OctoPrint servers that securely connects 3D printers running OctoPrint to the BuildBee cloud platform for slicing and management.
• BuildBee Unlimited Plan Paid subscription plan for individual makers that unlocks unlimited models, printers, and cloud prints; resin slicing; live video streaming; custom presets; model repair; and queue management.
• BuildBee Education Plan Per-printer subscription for K-12 schools, universities, makerspaces, and enterprises that includes unlimited users, group management, permissions control, usage and filament dashboards, and curriculum-aligned lesson plans.
• BuildBee Android App Android mobile application offering an optimized interface for preparing, starting, and checking in on 3D prints from anywhere.
• BuildBee Plater Online model layout tool for visualizing, resizing, rotating, combining, auto-arranging, and splitting 3D models on the build plate, with SVG file import and ZIP bulk upload support.
• BuildBee AI Print Settings AI capability that analyses BuildBee's large database of 3D print statistics to recommend finely tuned, optimised slicer settings for strong mechanical parts and detailed models while reducing user expertise required.
• BuildBee Cloud Slicing Cloud-based slicer that converts 3D models into printable files for filament and resin printers from a single web interface, eliminating the need for local slicer installation.
• BuildBee Shop (Affiliate Storefront) BuildBee-curated affiliate storefront linking out to 3D printers, filament, and accessories via Amazon affiliate links.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of thousands of print jobs have been processed through BuildBee's integrations.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

AI capability5 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationStripe is used as BuildBee's payment processing platform for handling subscriptions, billing, and recurring payments. Stripe also processes BuildBee's 1% revenue contribution to carbon removal through Stripe Climate. Stripe's automated decision-making handles subscription management.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationGoogle is used for multiple services: Google sign-on authentication, Google Analytics and Google Ads for website analytics and advertising, Google Optimize for website testing, and Google Workspace services. Google Cloud Platform infrastructure supports parts of BuildBee's operations.
• Microsoft AzurecoreTechnology or IntegrationMicrosoft Azure Monitor is used for BuildBee MakeCode application, saving and recalling user projects and collecting analytics data to monitor application performance.
• TrustpilotminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTrustpilot is used to collect and display customer reviews. BuildBee may contact customers to request reviews via the Trustpilot platform. Reviews are displayed on the BuildBee website.
• Tinkercad (Autodesk)coreTechnology or IntegrationTinkercad is a free CAD tool from Autodesk that integrates with BuildBee through built-in export buttons. Users can export designs directly to BuildBee for slicing and printing. BuildBee Education includes staged lesson plans targeting Tinkercad aligned with the Australian Curriculum.
• Fusion 360 (Autodesk)coreTechnology or IntegrationFusion 360 is a professional CAD tool from Autodesk. BuildBee integrates with Fusion 360 by allowing users to export STL files directly to their BuildBee account. With BuildBee Desktop installed, Fusion 360 can be connected directly to the BuildBee Desktop app.
• Blender (Blender Foundation)coreTechnology or IntegrationBlender, the free open-source 3D creation suite, integrates with BuildBee via a dedicated 'Print with BuildBee' plugin available for download from BuildBee. The plugin allows direct mesh export from Blender to BuildBee with scale customization.
• Thingiverse (Makerbot)coreTechnology or IntegrationThingiverse is a 3D design search engine from Makerbot. BuildBee integrates by allowing users to search Thingiverse, download designs, and print them via BuildBee. ZIP file upload from Thingiverse is supported via the BuildBee Plater.
• BuildBee MakeCode (Microsoft)coreTechnology or IntegrationBuildBee MakeCode is a coding environment for creating 3D designs, inspired by Microsoft's MakeCode block-based programming approach. BuildBee MakeCode uses Microsoft's Azure Monitor for project storage and analytics. The tool is available for use on tablets, Macs, and PCs.
• OctoPrintcoreTechnology or IntegrationOctoPrint is an open-source web interface for 3D printer management. BuildBee provides a plugin for OctoPrint that connects printers running OctoPrint to BuildBee's cloud platform, combining OctoPrint's flexibility with BuildBee's slicing and workflow features.
• Stripe ClimateminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuildBee contributes 1% of all revenue to atmospheric carbon removal through Stripe Climate. This is described as a real commitment to environmental sustainability rather than a marketing gesture, with funds directed to verified carbon removal projects.
• 3D Printer Manufacturers (Prusa, Creality, Wanhao, Makerbot, Cocoon, etc.)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor3D printer manufacturers create and manage their own public printer profiles on BuildBee's GitHub-based profile system. This enables BuildBee to support a 'large range' of printers while manufacturers benefit from free promotion as a 'supported printer' to BuildBee's user base and affiliate links through the BuildBee shop.
• Filament SuppliersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFilament suppliers create and manage their own material profiles on BuildBee's GitHub-based system, promoting their filaments as 'supported materials' to BuildBee users for free.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AstroPrint: AstroPrint offers cloud-based 3D printer management and slicing with a similar SaaS model to BuildBee, including a focus on education and maker spaces. It is among the closest direct cloud-native competitors in this niche.
• UltiMaker (Cura): UltiMaker develops Cura, the most widely used free desktop slicer for 3D printing. Cura is the primary open-source incumbent that BuildBee's cloud-based, AI-assisted slicer directly competes against for individual and prosumer users.
• 3DPrinterOS: 3DPrinterOS provides cloud-based 3D printer fleet management and slicing aimed at education and enterprise customers. Its positioning around multi-printer, multi-user workflows closely mirrors BuildBee's Education and Makerspace value proposition.
• Prusa Research (PrusaSlicer): Prusa develops PrusaSlicer, a free, open-source slicer widely used in the maker and education community. As a leading 3D printer OEM with a deeply integrated slicer, Prusa is a direct competitor on the software layer that BuildBee targets.
• OctoPrint: OctoPrint is the leading open-source web interface for managing 3D printers remotely. BuildBee directly integrates with and complements OctoPrint via its plugin, but OctoPrint itself competes on the printer management and monitoring layer.

Broad incumbents

• Formlabs: Formlabs is a leading professional SLA/resin 3D printer OEM with proprietary PreForm slicing software. While focused on professional users, Formlabs' tightly integrated slicer/printer model is a relevant comparable for BuildBee's resin printing support.
• Bambu Lab: Bambu Lab is a fast-growing 3D printer OEM with tightly integrated proprietary software (Bambu Studio, Handy). As a broad incumbent shipping its own slicer/management stack, Bambu Lab represents an integrated platform threat to BuildBee's open, hardware-agnostic approach.
• MakerBot (Thingiverse): MakerBot, now part of Stratasys, operates Thingiverse — the largest 3D model repository — and ships its own PrintBot/CloudPrint slicer and management software. BuildBee integrates with Thingiverse but competes with MakerBot for end-user slicing and management workflows.

Emerging players

• PrintLab: PrintLab provides 3D printing curriculum, lesson plans, and classroom tools for schools. While less directly competitive on slicing software, it overlaps with BuildBee's education segment on curriculum-integrated offerings and MakeCode-style STEM resources.
• Polar3D: Polar3D provides cloud-based 3D printing management specifically targeting K-12 education, with similar per-printer pricing and curriculum tools. It is a focused emerging competitor in BuildBee's strongest vertical.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/buildbee
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCyIO4yPBFHxlCe4yQZ2cY1g
• Xx.com/BuildBee
• Facebookfacebook.com/BuildBee1

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BuildBee