All3DP GmbH, owner of additive manufacturing (AM) industry publication All3DP.com and the Craftcloud marketplace, has closed a financing round for an undisclosed amount, led by new investor HZG Group, a German venture capital (VC) fund. HZG Group is managed by Frank and Kerstin Herzog, founders of the Concept Laser metal 3D printer brand, which was ultimately sold to GE.

All3DP plans to use the funds to continue growing Craftcloud, which has grown to operate in 15 different countries since its founding in 2016, seeing popularity primarily in North America and Europe. According to All3DP, the company’s digital platform connects users to around 180 validated print service providers based all over the world.

In a press release, Mathias Pilca, All3DP’s managing director, 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.”

Kerstin Herzog, Managing Partner of HZG Group, said, “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.”

Image courtesy of Craftcloud

The 3D printing services markets continues to shine, contrary to broader pessimism in the AM market at large, with AM Research estimating the services market to have grown to over $6 billion in 2023. As the catalysts that have been driving interest in distributed manufacturing continue to mount, the services market appears positioned to keep seeing outsized growth compared to the AM industry at-large.

In parallel, AM services providers also seem to be in good position to capitalize on the industry’s latest wave of consolidation. Dealing with fewer OEMs could positively streamline the relationships between service providers and the companies they rely on, while consolidation in the services market segment itself could finally enable users to access the benefits of greater scale in the AM economy.

Along those lines, All3DP and Craftcloud have found an ideal partner in HZG Group, given the latter’s experience in executing what is, from any perspective, one of the most successful deals in AM history. If the flow of investment dollars can be taken as any indication, it already looks like 2025 will be a fascinating year for watching the AM industry.