It's an exciting week for personalized manufacturing and 3D design -- our friends at Tinkercad received $1 million in seed funding to make 3D design and printing more accessible to a wider audience. Their browser-based software has paved the way for people of all tech backgrounds to experiment with 3D design.

The interface is very user friendly and provides an excellent starting point for people who want to learn (or teach!) the fundamentals of solid 3D modeling. As TechCrunch explained, "The company's mission is to 'reach and teach' a wide audience on the use of CAD software and creating 'fun and meaningful' things like jewelry, toys, cars parts, and whatnot, using 3D printers."

Earlier this year, we partnered with Tinkercad to allow users to directly upload models to Shapeways, making it easier to turn an idea into a 3D printed reality.

We look forward to seeing all the new creations and creators enabled by the Tinkercad. Congratulations to Kai and the whole team!