{"id":44040,"date":"2026-10-21T03:02:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-21T01:02:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/?p=44040"},"modified":"2026-10-21T09:27:22","modified_gmt":"2026-10-21T07:27:22","slug":"shapeways-digital-manufacturing-partner-for-hardware-innovators","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shapeways.com\/blog\/shapeways-digital-manufacturing-partner-for-hardware-innovators","title":{"rendered":"Shapeways Enters a New Chapter as the Connected Digital Manufacturing Partner for Hardware Innovators"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From 3D Printing Pioneer to Manufacturing Partner<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

When Shapeways<\/a> was founded in Eindhoven in 2008, the ambition was simple but transformative: make 3D printing accessible to everyone; consumers, designers, entrepreneurs, and businesses alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was Shapeways 1.0<\/strong>: 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almost two decades later,  the world has changed. And so has the opportunity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shapeways 2.0<\/strong> is about taking that same principle of accessibility one step further: making manufacturing accessible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Founder-Led Return<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Shapeways is led by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u00b7 Marleen Vogelaar<\/a> \u2014 CEO & Co-founder
\u00b7 Robert Schouwenburg<\/a> \u2014 CTO & Co-founder
\u00b7 Jules Witte <\/a>\u2014 COO
\u00b7 Victoria Martinez-Polman<\/a> \u2014 Head of Marketing and Brand
\u00b7 Pascal van Kesteren<\/a> \u2014 VP of Sales, EMEA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIt felt like coming back & rebuilding your home, our passion & team made it possible,\u201d says CEO Marleen Vogelaar.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That combination of resilience, experience, and optimism now shapes every part of the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Built Around Modern Hardware Development<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

The biggest transformation isn\u2019t our logo. It\u2019s how we help our customers innovate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hardware development has changed. Products are becoming more complex. Engineering teams iterate faster. Supply chains are increasingly global, while product lifecycles continue to shrink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our manufacturing ecosystem combines:<\/p>\n\n\n\n