Printlab International Limited

What Printlab International Limited does

PrintLab International Limited is a UK-based private company that operates a subscription online learning platform delivering 3D CAD and 3D printing courses, guided projects, and open-ended challenges to schools, makerspaces, designers and individual makers globally. The platform is built on a cloud-based learning management system hosting a structured progression of mini-courses, full design projects, and real-world challenges, supported by Google Slides portfolio templates, assessment rubrics, and teacher-facing instructional materials. Curriculum is mapped to multiple national and international education standards (NGSS, ISTE, UK National Curriculum, New Zealand Curriculum, Australian Curriculum), and content integrates industry-standard tools including Tinkercad and Autodesk Fusion. The flagship initiative is the Make:able Challenge, an annual global 3D printing and assistive-technology design competition run in partnership with Autodesk since 2020, which has drawn over 10,000 participants from 70+ countries.

The company monetises through recurring subscription licenses sold direct via its website and via a reseller channel, with a freemium free trial as the primary acquisition mechanism. Educational institutions can purchase classroom or district-wide licenses that enable teachers to generate share links giving students one-click access to learning resources without individual accounts. The platform also generates revenue-adjacent value through the Make:able Shop marketplace launched in late 2025, which aggregates PrintLab-approved hardware bundles and curriculum from industry partners including MatterHackers, Prusa Research, Shining3D and CREATE Education. Distribution is horizontal across K–12 schools, makerspaces, public libraries, and individual hobbyists, with go-to-market combining self-serve PLG, content marketing, social media, email, an annual flagship event, and a global pioneer teacher network. The company operates a small, founder-led team (Co-Founder Jason Yeung, Lead Designer Rob Mafrici) and appears bootstrapped, with no venture funding disclosed and no published revenue figures.

Name

Printlab International Limited

Legal name

PrintLab International Ltd

Website

https://weareprintlab.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

PrintLab International Limited operates a subscription online learning platform offering 3D CAD and 3D printing courses, projects, and challenges to schools, makerspaces, designers, and individual makers worldwide, anchored by the annual Make:able assistive-technology design challenge run with Autodesk.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online 3D Printing Education Platform

akta.pro primary industry

3D Printing, CAD & Digital Fabrication Programs (EDAMADAH)

Keywords

• 3D printing education
• Online learning platform
• STEM curriculum software
• CAD design courses
• Maker education tools

Headquarters

HQ city

Chorley

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Subscription Licenses: PrintLab operates as a subscription-based platform offering access to its library of 3D printing courses, projects, and challenges. Educational institutions can purchase licenses that enable teacher access to generate student share links. Individual subscriptions provide access to the full content library with certifications upon completion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PrintLab International Limited operates an online learning platform that delivers standards-aligned 3D CAD and 3D printing curriculum in the form of Mini Courses, Projects, and Challenges for educators, students, and individual makers. The platform supports classroom delivery through share-link access and a teacher dashboard, and is complemented by the global Make:able design challenge and a Make:able Shop marketplace for partner products.

Product overview

PrintLab is an online learning platform offering 3D CAD and 3D printing courses, curriculum and certifications. The platform comprises three core content types: Mini Courses (concise skill-building modules), Projects (guided full design processes with portfolio documentation), and Challenges (open-ended real-world briefs). Content spans multiple domains including STEM, Product Design, 3D Scanning, and Assistive Technology. The flagship initiative is the Make:able Challenge - a global 3D printing and assistive technology design competition run in partnership with Autodesk. Additional offerings include the Make:able Shop marketplace, interactive Make:able Workbook, and resource features for educators including share links, teacher instructions, portfolio templates, rubrics, and standards-aligned curriculum. Notable projects include Upcycling, Mycelium Moulds, Ergonomic Transformations, 3D Printed Orthoses, and Tactile Matching Games.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Make:able: A global 3D printing and assistive technology design challenge hosted by PrintLab and Autodesk, inviting students, makers and professionals to design assistive devices for people with disabilities or the elderly.

Products and services

• PrintLab Online Learning Platform Cloud-based online learning platform teaching 3D CAD and 3D printing through Mini Courses, Projects, and Challenges, with a teacher dashboard, share-link student access, and Google Slides portfolio templates. Sold via subscription to educators, schools, makerspaces, and individual designers/makers.
• PrintLab Classroom Education-licensed edition of the PrintLab platform for schools and makerspaces, enabling teachers to distribute content via share links, manage student access, and capture work in Google Slides portfolio templates.
• Make:able Challenge Annual global design challenge programme that engages students in assistive technology, sustainability, and social impact briefs, with donated 3D printers from partners (MatterHackers, Prusa Research, Raise3D, Markforged) and rapid-prototyping support.
• Make:able Shop Marketplace section under the Make:able brand offering Make:able-approved bundles and products supplied by industry partners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10,000+ participants from 70+ countries in Make:able Challenge since 2020
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• MatterHackerscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025MatterHackers sponsors the Make:able Challenge by providing 3D printers (Bambu Lab P1S Combo, Creality3D CR-M4) and filament bundles as prizes for challenge winners across multiple categories.
• Prusa ResearchcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Prusa Research sponsors the Make:able Challenge by providing Original Prusa MINI+ 3D printers as prizes for the 'Best Use of 3D Printing' category winners.
• Shining3DcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Shining3D sponsors the Make:able Challenge by providing EinStar 3D scanners as prizes for 'Best Showcase of Customisation' category winners.
• CREATE EducationcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025CREATE Education sponsors the Make:able Challenge by providing Bambu Lab A1 Mini 3D printers as prizes for 'Best Showcase of Iterative Design' category winners.
• Print City (Manchester Metropolitan University)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021PrintLab collaborated with Print City at Manchester Metropolitan University to develop the Pandemic Products project, focused on designing solutions to limit virus spread on surfaces using 3D printing.
• AutodeskflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Autodesk partners with PrintLab on the annual Make:able Challenge, providing access to Tinkercad and Fusion software for participants. The partnership enables global access to industry-standard design tools for students and makers creating assistive technology devices. Autodesk also provides prize gift cards for challenge winners and supports educator training through Fusion Fundamentals courses.
• Grown.biominorOthersGrown.bio provides mycelium materials used in PrintLab's Mycelium Moulds project, where students learn to create sustainable consumer products from mushroom root structures. The partnership supports educational content on biomaterials and sustainable design.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Code.org: Major STEM/computing education nonprofit with broad K-12 school reach. Adjacent in target market (K-12 STEM teachers) and standards-aligned curriculum, though focused on coding rather than 3D printing.
• Tynker: Larger STEM/coding education platform serving K-12 schools with curriculum, lesson plans, and teacher tools. Overlaps in STEM classroom sales motion, though focused on coding rather than 3D printing.

Direct peers

• STEM Fuse: STEM curriculum provider including 3D printing and digital fabrication units for K-12 schools. Comparable in selling standards-aligned STEM curriculum with 3D printing components into school districts.
• MakerBot Education: Education arm of 3D printer manufacturer MakerBot (Stratasys), offering curriculum, lesson plans, and classroom resources for 3D printing in schools. Directly comparable in target market and content type.
• MyMiniFactory: 3D printing community and file-sharing platform with educational components and design challenges. Comparable as a 3D printing ecosystem targeting makers and educators.
• Makers Empire: Australian EdTech company offering 3D design and printing curriculum for K-12 schools globally. Closest direct competitor to PrintLab in the 3D printing education-for-schools niche, with similar subscription model and teacher-focused design.
• SketchUp for Schools: Trimble's 3D modeling tool with a dedicated education offering for K-12 schools. Comparable as a 3D design tool with school-focused curriculum, lesson plans, and standards-aligned content.

Others

• Tinkercad (Autodesk): Autodesk's free 3D design and simulation tool widely used in K-12 education. PrintLab teaches Tinkercad as part of its curriculum, positioning it as an enabling platform rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/weareprintlab
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCVQCBNA4cdXdQQXLHB60fSg
• Facebookfacebook.com/weareprintlab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/printlab-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/weareprintlab

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Printlab International Limited