From 3D Printing Pioneer to Manufacturing Partner
When Shapeways was founded in Eindhoven in 2008, the ambition was simple but transformative: make 3D printing accessible to everyone; consumers, designers, entrepreneurs, and businesses alike.
That was Shapeways 1.0: removing the barriers between a digital idea and a physical object. People could upload a digital file and have a professionally manufactured part delivered without owning a 3D printer or investing in machinery.
That mission successfully helped introduce millions of people to digital manufacturing and played a role in moving 3D printing from an emerging technology toward an increasingly accessible tool. Today, 3D printers sit on desks, engineering departments, and businesses around the world.
Almost two decades later, the world has changed. And so has the opportunity.
Shapeways 2.0 is about taking that same principle of accessibility one step further: making manufacturing accessible.
The next generation of hardware companies needs more than prototyping. Instead, they need a manufacturing partner that can scale production from tens to thousands of parts. This requires a combination of additive manufacturing with CNC machining, turning, finishing, and assembly.
This is the transformation at the heart of Shapeways today: from making 3D printing accessible to becoming a low-volume manufacturing powerhouse for hardware innovators.
A Founder-Led Return
Throughout this period, one thing never changed: the belief of the Eindhoven team in the company, its customers, and its future. In 2024, Two of the initial founders together with the local Shapeways leaders teamed up to bring the company into a new direction.
Today, Shapeways is led by:
· Marleen Vogelaar — CEO & Co-founder
· Robert Schouwenburg — CTO & Co-founder
· Jules Witte — COO
· Victoria Martinez-Polman — Head of Marketing and Brand
· Pascal van Kesteren — VP of Sales, EMEA
“It felt like coming back & rebuilding your home, our passion & team made it possible,” says CEO Marleen Vogelaar.
That combination of resilience, experience, and optimism now shapes every part of the company.
Built Around Modern Hardware Development
The biggest transformation isn’t our logo. It’s how we help our customers innovate.
Hardware development has changed. Products are becoming more complex. Engineering teams iterate faster. Supply chains are increasingly global, while product lifecycles continue to shrink.
Our manufacturing ecosystem combines:
- Low-volume production from 1 to 10,000 units
- CNC machining
- Advanced finishing and light assembly
- Digital warehousing and lifecycle management
- Additional services to finish products
- Design consultancy.
These capabilities are supported by twelve additive manufacturing technologies and an extensive portfolio of production-grade materials, and manufacturing operations certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. We act as an extension of our customers’ engineering teams, simplifying development, reducing complexity, and helping them bring better products to market faster.
InShape: The Brain Behind Connected Manufacturing
At the center of Shapeways is InShape, our proprietary digital manufacturing platform and the technology that connects every customer interaction with every production decision.
From the moment a design is uploaded, InShape orchestrates the entire manufacturing workflow. This includes quoting, engineering, production planning, quality control, finishing, warehousing, logistics, and lifecycle management.
For customers, that means a simpler and more transparent manufacturing experience. Teams gain greater visibility into their projects, faster decision-making, streamlined repeat ordering, and the confidence to scale production without changing manufacturing partners.
Behind the scenes, InShape continuously optimizes workflows, automates planning, provides real-time production insights, and connects manufacturing technologies into one intelligent operating environment.
As Shapeways expands its manufacturing capabilities, InShape connects every service into one seamless ecosystem.
Because modern manufacturing isn’t about individual technologies, it’s about how seamlessly they work together.
The Story Continues
The community that helped shape Shapeways remains an important part of our story.
The consumer marketplace that introduced millions of creators to digital manufacturing now continues through Thangs, allowing that original mission of creativity, accessibility, and innovation to keep growing.
The focus has moved from simply making individual parts accessible to making the entire path to manufacturing more accessible.
Both organizations continue to build on the same belief: Innovation should never be limited by manufacturing.
A New Chapter for Shapeways
Our transformation is reflected not only in what we do, but also where we do it.
In June 2025, Shapeways signed a long-term lease for its new European headquarters and production facility in Hall 4 of the historic TX Machine Factory on Strijp-T in Eindhoven.
Originally built by Philips in 1957, the facility produced precision machinery for X-ray systems, televisions, microscopes, and other advanced technologies. Designed with vibration-free foundations for micron-level precision, it was purpose-built for high-performance manufacturing.
Today, it provides the ideal home for Shapeways’ next chapter.
“Any relocation brings the past and the future into focus. Strijp-T represents generations of innovation. We’re proud to continue that legacy while building the future of digital manufacturing.” – Marleen Vogelaar, CEO Shapeways
The new facility enables expanded production, new technologies, optimized workflows, and more sustainable operations, including rooftop solar and energy-efficient manufacturing.
For a company born in Eindhoven’s innovation ecosystem, moving to one of the city’s iconic industrial sites brings things full circle.
It also marks the shift from Shapeways 1.0 to Shapeways 2.0. From making digital manufacturing accessible to building the infrastructure to scale it as a manufacturing capability.
Looking Ahead
By combining additive manufacturing, CNC machining, finishing, assembly, digital warehousing, and the intelligence of InShape into one connected manufacturing experience, Shapeways helps hardware innovators reduce complexity and accelerate the journey from idea to production.
Whether you’re developing a medical device, autonomous robot, defense unmanned drone, aerospace component, or a product the world hasn’t imagined yet. Our ambition is simple:
To become the connected digital manufacturing partner behind the world’s next generation of hardware.