February 14, 2025
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February 14, 2025
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Shapeways announces acquisition of Thangs to strengthen the creator ecosystem

Shapeways announces acquisition of Thangs
Shapeways announces acquisition of Thangs
Key Takeaways

Shapeways, a pioneer in digital manufacturing solutions, has announced the acquisition of Thangs, the collaborative 3D file sharing and discovery platform. This strategic move marks a significant step in Shapeways’ mission to expand its creator ecosystem while maintaining Thangs’ distinctive community-focused approach.

The acquisition, following the re-entry of Shapeways and spearheaded by its new management team, addresses key infrastructure gaps in Shapeways’ previous marketplace model while enhancing Thangs’ ability to serve its growing community of 3D designers and creators. This partnership brings together Shapeways’ manufacturing expertise with Thangs’ modern platform architecture, creating a comprehensive solution for the 3D printing community.

Shapeways’ Acquisition of Thangs

Thangs, collaborative 3D file sharing and discovery platform, homepage
Thangs homepage/Source: Thangs

Under the agreement, Thangs will become Thangs 3D Inc., a subsidiary of Shapeways, while maintaining its core mission and community-centric approach. The platform will continue to support both free and paid models, ensuring accessibility and fostering creativity within the 3D design community.

According to Thangs team, “The decision to sell was driven by an exciting opportunity to partner with a company whose expertise and offerings perfectly align with our platform’s strengths. This acquisition enables us to address key market needs and provide our community with expanded resources, innovative tools, and greater opportunities for growth.”

The acquisition of Thangs from Physna, Inc., provides the community with a timely solution that exceeds Shapeways’ prior capabilities combining robust IP security powered by Physna’s technology with a modern platform tailored to creators’ needs. With Thangs fostering ideas into designs and Shapeways bringing those designs to life, the two companies together create a seamless ecosystem that spans the full 3D creation value chain.

A key focus of the acquisition of Thangs is maintaining the features that users value while introducing new capabilities. Thangs users can expect their existing content and accounts to remain unchanged, with additional features and improvements being introduced gradually. The platform’s commitment to protecting intellectual property rights will be further strengthened through Physna’s advanced technology.

“The team behind Thangs really love their creators and they take good care of them: which is exactly in line with the original spirit of Shapeways. Equally importantly their 3D search technology powered by Physna protects the IP of their creators which is incredibly important to me and the rest of the management team.”

– Marleen Vogelaar, CEO of Shapeways

The integration promises new opportunities for both communities. Designers on Thangs will gain access to Shapeways’ digital manufacturing capabilities, enabling them to offer physical products directly to consumers. Meanwhile, Shapeways’ community members will benefit from Thangs’ modern platform and robust IP security powered by Physna’s technology.

Paul Powers, CEO and Co-founder of Physna, Inc., expressed optimism about the partnership: “The synergy between Shapeways and Thangs was clear from the start. While Physna will continue to focus primarily on our B2B and government products, we remain invested in Thangs and have a great relationship with the community.”

Future Growth and Development

Looking ahead, Thangs will serve as the consumer-facing brand for creators and makers, while Shapeways continues its focus on business customers. Both platforms will be powered by Shapeways’ digital manufacturing engine, combining expertise in software, hardware, and post-processing solutions.

A significant development on the horizon is the integration of a ‘Print to Shapeways’ button within Thangs, streamlining the process from design to physical production. This feature exemplifies the commitment to creating a more integrated and user-friendly ecosystem for creators.

“When Shapeways approached Thangs, we recognised a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to empower our community of designers to grow their thriving businesses. 3D printing is transforming commerce on both a global and local scale, and we’re thrilled to provide designers with even more tools to help them succeed.”

– Dan Pham, Head of Community Relations at Thangs

The acquisition aims to create a seamless ecosystem spanning the full 3D creation value chain, from design through manufacturing. Existing users of both platforms can expect continued support for ongoing projects and transactions, with any significant changes being communicated well in advance.

Customer Support and Community Engagement

Both companies emphasize their commitment to maintaining strong customer support throughout the transition. The integration will bring additional resources and support channels, ensuring that both communities continue to receive the high level of service they expect. The combined platform will also focus on fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing between the two user bases, creating new opportunities for creative partnerships and business growth.

Thangs users can know more about what happens to their accounts at this official blog by the Thangs team.


About Manufactur3D Magazine: Manufactur3D is an online magazine on 3D Printing. Visit our Global News page for more updates on Global 3D Printing News. To stay up-to-date about the latest happenings in the 3D printing world, like us on Facebook or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter. Follow us on Google News.

Abhimanyu Chavan
Abhimanyu is the founder of Manufactur3D and has spent more than 7 years in the 3D printing industry. He has written over 2000 articles on the technology and industry and he continues to write and share content to promote the technology across the globe, and more so in India. You can follow him on social platforms.
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