Minarium

What Minarium does

Minarium is a self-serve, AI-powered online marketplace where independent 3D artists list and sell printable STL files for tabletop gaming miniatures, and where buyers discover models through natural language and reference-image queries. The platform is purpose-built for the tabletop miniatures vertical (wargaming, RPG, terrain, bases, and bits) rather than general 3D assets, and is governed from Iowa under US law while serving a global customer base. Its core technology stack combines AI semantic search across 3D model geometry and metadata, tamper-resistant digital fingerprinting embedded in every download for piracy tracing, an Object Licensing Framework with multiple tiers (Personal, Commercial Print, Creator Merchant, Remix-Friendly, Creative Commons), and a planned blockchain-based NFT licensing layer for automated royalty splits. The Creator Hub module provides storefronts with Featured Models, Creator Updates, Support Messaging, and Model Showcase tooling.

The company monetizes primarily through a flat marketplace commission (8% standard, 6% locked for early founders, planned 10% long-term) plus passed-through Stripe/PayPal processing fees of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction. Secondary revenue streams include paid advertising placements (homepage sponsorships, featured listings, search promotions, CPC/CPM) and commissions from the Print Bidding service that connects buyers to verified printers with escrow and royalty pass-through. Go-to-market is product-led and community-driven: organic Instagram and Facebook presence, a blog resource site, an email newsletter, YouTube explainers, and a Fellowship Tier program that has recruited founding creators collectively bringing approximately 150,000 Instagram followers. There is no dedicated enterprise sales motion, no channel partner program, and no app store presence; all transactions route through Minarium's own web storefront.

At the time of input, the company is privately held, founder-owned and bootstrapped by Robert Walczak (also founder of DKP Miniatures), headquartered operationally in Iowa with 1-10 employees, and reported 180+ active creators, 28K+ active buyers, and 4,000+ models in its Trench Warfare category alone. The platform publicly launched in October 2025 and remains pre-revenue-disclosure; strategic posture is positioned as a creator-friendly challenger to incumbents like MyMiniFactory, Sketchfab, and Thingiverse on the basis of lower take rates, AI-driven discoverability, and built-in piracy protection.

Name

Minarium

Legal name

Minarium

Website

https://minarium.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2025

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Minarium is an AI-powered online marketplace where independent 3D artists sell printable tabletop gaming miniatures and STL files. It serves tabletop hobbyists, wargamers, and RPG players as buyers, and global solo creators and studios as sellers, differentiating through natural language search, digital fingerprinting, and low single-digit commission rates.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

3D Printable Miniatures Marketplace

NAICS

Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (33993), Doll, Toy, and Game Manufacturing (339930)

SIC

Games, Toys & Children's Vehicles (No Dolls & Bicycles) (3944)

akta.pro primary industry

3D-Printed Miniatures & STL Files (Digital/Physical) (CRALAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wargaming Miniatures (Tabletop Armies) (CRALAKAC), Tabletop RPG Miniatures & Terrain (CRALAKAD), Hobby Games & Miniatures Retail (Tabletop RPGs, Wargaming) (CRALAFAH)

Keywords

• 3D printable miniatures
• STL file marketplace
• Tabletop gaming models
• 3D printing marketplace
• Creator marketplace platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Ankeny

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Marketplace Commission: Minarium charges creators a flat commission rate on each sale. The standard rate is 8% per transaction, with early founders locked at 6% and standard long-term rate planned at 10%. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Payment Processing Fees: Standard credit card processing fees of 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction are passed through to creators, deducted from their earnings alongside the platform commission.
3. Advertising Services: Creators and external brands (3D printing services, hardware, materials, software companies) can purchase advertising placements including featured listings, homepage sponsorships, search promotions, and category page ads. Fees are prepaid and may include performance-based CPC or CPM models.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Minarium is an online marketplace where independent 3D miniature artists upload and sell STL files of 3D printable tabletop miniatures (wargaming figures, RPG characters, terrain, bases, and bits). Buyers discover models through AI-powered natural language search and download files instantly. The platform charges a flat marketplace commission (8% standard, 6% for early founders) and offers optional print-on-demand services via verified printers.

Product overview

Minarium is a creator-first 3D printable miniatures marketplace that launched in October 2025. The platform consists of the core Minarium Marketplace (for buying and selling STL files), integrated Creator Hub (for seller pages with Featured Models, Creator Updates, and Support Messaging), Print Bidding Service (for ordering physical prints), and Object Licensing Framework (managing PUL, CPL, CML, RFL, and CC licenses). The platform differentiates through AI-powered Natural Language Search that matches buyer intent to 3D models, and Digital Fingerprinting technology for piracy prevention. Planned features include Blockchain Licensing with NFT-based royalty automation. Creators can enhance visibility through Featured Listings and Advertising services. Pricing features a flat 8% commission (early founders locked at 6%) plus Stripe processing fees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Minarium Marketplace Core AI-powered online marketplace where independent 3D miniature artists upload and sell STL files, and tabletop hobbyists browse, purchase, and download files instantly for 3D printing. Categories include Wargaming, RPG, Terrain, Bases, Bits/Modkits, and Free Models.
• Print Bidding Service Service enabling buyers to request 3D printing from verified, licensed printers via a bidding workflow. Payment is held in escrow until delivery and automatic royalty allocation is paid to the original creator on each print job.
• Object Licensing Framework Multi-tier licensing framework for digital 3D files including Personal Use License (PUL), Commercial Print License (CPL), Creator Merchant License (CML), Remix-Friendly License (RFL), and Creative Commons options. Includes fingerprint-embedded licensing with customer-specific watermarks and automatic royalty allocation.
• Featured Listings and Advertising Paid advertising service offering homepage sponsorships, spotlight placements, featured listings, and search result promotions to creators and external 3D printing brands. Performance-based CPC and CPM options available; ads must follow Minarium's Advertising Guidelines and are reviewed before publishing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Creators keep 94% of each sale (after 8% commission and ~6% processing)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• TurboSquid: Established 3D asset marketplace serving game developers and 3D artists with broader (less print-focused) catalog but overlapping creator base.
• CGTrader: Large-scale 3D model marketplace for both printable and non-printable assets, with similar commission economics and a wider (non-tabletop) catalog.

Direct peers

• Sketchfab: 3D model marketplace with viewer-based search and creator commerce; competes for the same professional 3D creator audience and is cited in Minarium's competitive pricing analysis.
• Cults3D: Marketplace for buying and selling 3D printable designs including miniatures; comparable scale, similar commission structure and same creator/buyer workflow.
• MyMiniFactory: Direct competitor operating a global 3D printable models marketplace with a strong tabletop miniatures focus, including a creator store program and recently reduced commissions — exactly the wedge Minarium targets.
• Thingiverse: Long-standing 3D printable model repository now owned by MyMiniFactory; the canonical free/paid STL destination and the same target buyer/creator base Minarium courts.
• Printables: Prusa-owned 3D printable model repository with community-driven submission and a growing creator marketplace, competing for the same hobbyist/creator audience.

Others

• Patreon: Subscription platform many 3D miniature creators use to monetize monthly releases; an alternative to marketplace transactions and a potential outbound channel for Minarium creators.

Emerging players

• Gambody: Premium 3D printable model marketplace with a tabletop/gaming skew; comparable buyer profile and creator economics.
• Thangs: 3D model search engine focused on geometric/index-based discovery across STL libraries, an alternative approach to Minarium's AI semantic search solving the same long-tail discovery problem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61573516031376
• Instagraminstagram.com/minarium_3d
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/minarium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Minarium