Shapeways

Shapeways, Inc.

Company type	Privately held company
Industry	3D printing
Founded	2007
Founder	Peter Weijmarshausen, Robert Schouwenburg, Marleen Vogelaar
Defunct	July 2, 2024 (2024-07-02)
Fate	Filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy; assets acquired by Manuevo BV and later by WVS International Inc.
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Area served	Worldwide
Key people	Gregory Kress (former CEO)
Products	3D printing services and marketplace
Number of employees	40 (2024)
Website	www.shapeways.com

Shapeways, Inc. operates as an international marketplace and service provider specializing in 3D printing, functioning as a privately held firm. Customers upload designs suitable for 3D printing, which Shapeways fabricates using over 55 different materials, including plastics, precious metals, brass, and bronze.

By the year 2021, Shapeways had manufactured and sold in excess of 20 million items. That same year, the company achieved revenues near US$33 million and maintained a workforce of about 40 employees as of 2024.

On July 2, 2024, Shapeways halted its order processing operations and filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy; this led to the resignation of its leadership team and the liquidation of its assets. Subsequently, on July 29, 2024, Manuevo BV—a company based in Eindhoven and established by two original Shapeways founders along with former executives—acquired the assets of Shapeways BV to reactivate the Dutch division.

Later, on November 27, 2024, WVS International Inc., the parent company of Manuevo, secured ownership of Shapeways’ intellectual property portfolio, including trademarks. By December 3, 2024, WVS International confirmed full acquisition of the US trademark and additional IP rights, signaling the relaunch of Shapeways under its founding Eindhoven team.

On December 18, 2024, Shapeways expanded its offerings by acquiring Thangs from Physna Inc., thereby providing former marketplace users with an alternative platform.

Early history

Founded in 2007 as a spin-off from Royal Philips Electronics in the Netherlands, Shapeways was created by Peter Weijmarshausen, Robert Schouwenburg, and Marleen Vogelaar. The initiative began within Philips’ design division and was supported by the `Philips Lifestyle Incubator` program aimed at fostering innovative startups. The founders developed both the business strategy and service framework for Shapeways.

In 2008, Shapeways introduced a service allowing clients to upload CAD files for rapid prototyping and design creation.

Initially offering only basic materials, the company soon expanded to include nylon and stainless steel by 2009. By 2012, their material selection had grown to encompass sterling silver,

On October 19, 2012, Shapeways inaugurated a large-scale '3-D printing factory' located in Queens, New York, equipped with 50 industrial printers capable of producing millions of consumer-designed products annually.

The platform now enables consumers to personalize models without needing prior 3D design experience through 'Creators' tools that allow real-time modifications using text or images. Additionally, Co-Creator platforms facilitate collaboration between designers and users. In July 2014, Shapeways formed a partnership with Hasbro, Inc. to manufacture licensed My Little Pony character models derived from fan submissions approved by Hasbro—marking a strategic entry into licensed media merchandise.

On February 21, 2018, Gregory Kress succeeded Tom Finn as CEO.<ref>

Recent history

In 2018, Shapeways collaborated with Stratasys to broaden access to full-color 3D printing across multiple materials. Starting in 2019, it began producing PA-11—a high-performance polymer utilized across aerospace, medical, and automotive sectors. That year also marked the printing of its ten millionth part; daily production reached up to 6,000 items shipped worldwide to over 130 countries.

In September 2019, Shapeways partnered with ZVerse—a CAD-as-a-Service (CADaaS) platform—to improve digital content creation by optimizing existing files and enabling new model development directly on its website. In 2020, BASF’s Forward AM collaborated with Shapeways to provide customers with products made from advanced Forward AM materials. By 2021, more than 20 million parts had been produced for upwards of one million users across 160 countries.

On April 28, 2021, Shapeways entered into a merger agreement with special-purpose acquisition company Galileo Acquisition Corp. (NYSE: GLEO), forming Shapeways Holdings, Inc., which traded on the NYSE under ticker SHPW. The merged entity was led by CEO Gregory Kress. However, following bankruptcy proceedings in July 2024, the company was delisted.

Following bankruptcy filings, the management team in the Netherlands along with two original co-founders established Manuevo to ensure continued operations and safeguard jobs in the Dutch subsidiary. This profitable branch acquired local assets on August 1, 2024 and continues to operate internationally.

In December 2024, Manuevo’s proprietors purchased the Shapeways brand along with intellectual property rights from the US bankruptcy trustee. Later that month saw the relaunched Shapeways announce its acquisition of Thangs from Physna Inc.