3D printing marketplace Craftcloud gets growth funding

The Craftcloud AM marketplace, owned and run by online publisher All3DP, has completed a funding round led by HZG Group, which joins existing investors High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF), Bayern Kapital and Deutsche Balaton AG as a new shareholder. The funding will be used primarily to accelerate the international growth of the Craftcloud platform.

Craftcloud makes 3D printing as easy as booking a flight. Customers upload the digital model of their part and receive real-time quotes. With just a few clicks, the required quantities can be ordered from the desired provider. Approximately 180 international print service providers are connected to the marketplace and have all been validated by Craftcloud. In addition to costs, all providers are listed by name, company location and the processes they offer. This makes Craftcloud the most transparent platform on the market.

Platform economy for digital manufacturing

Mathias Plica, managing director of All3DP, said: “We are operating on a break-even basis and have seen Craftcloud grow by over 60 percent year-on-year. The new financing will enable us to take advantage of the current highly attractive market environment for our marketplace and to generate additional growth through efficient marketing. With HZG Group, we have won an investor with both a deep understanding of the key technologies of digital manufacturing and proven expertise in managing exceptional growth phases.”

The Craftcloud funding is the first investment in a digital marketplace start-up for HZG Group, a venture capital firm specializing in 3D printing. Kerstin Herzog, Managing Partner of HZG Group, explained: “Platform economics are an effective lever in the 3D printing market. The industry benefits from efficient and transparent processes and can also tap into new customer segments. Craftcloud is ideally positioned to continue to play a leading international role among online marketplaces and to continue its impressive growth story in the years to come.”

Axel Nitsch, Principal at HTGF, comments: “The successful financing round is a great result of the outstanding work of Mathias Plica and his team over the last few years. We are thrilled to have HZG Group on board as a new shareholder and true industry expert in 3D printing. Together as shareholders, we will continue to actively support the exciting growth story of All3DP GmbH.”

Transparency for volatile prices

The market for purchasing 3D printed parts is the fastest-growing segment within digital manufacturing. According to Wohlers Report, the segment will be worth 6 billion USD globally in 2023 and, according to AM Report, it will grow to 8 billion USD in 2024. Across all segments, including not only additive manufacturing but also plastic injection molding, CNC machining and others, the global market volume for digital manufacturing is estimated at 55 billion USD.

Seventy percent of Craftcloud customers are B2B customers. “We operate in a horizontal market, with companies of all sizes and from all industries ordering their parts from us. From research laboratories to automotive suppliers,” said Mikkel Kring, Chief Product Officer at Craftcloud. “For orders that do not require any further consultation, the individual exchange of quotes is no longer up to date. The technology is mature, the print service providers are dependable, but prices remain volatile. Craftcloud offers full transparency to customers and visibility to companies. Both sides save time and money.”

Craftcloud’s customers come from all continents, with a strong focus on North America and Europe.