Shapeways Enhances Creator Ecosystem with Majority Acquisition of Thangs

Shapeways, a leading platform for digital manufacturing solutions, has officially announced the acquisition of Thangs, a collaborative 3D file sharing and discovery community. This acquisition marks the second step in Shapeways’ plan to revamp their business under new management.

Thangs, which is open to all creators, welcomes former Shapeways members and newcomers to join their community and learn about how to monetize their digital designs on Thangs.com/memberships.

The acquisition of Thangs also addresses gaps in Shapeways’ previous infrastructure. Changes made by the former management team left the infrastructure outdated and in need of an upgrade. With the acquisition of Thangs from Physna, Inc., the community will now have access to a modern platform tailored specifically for creators’ needs, along with robust IP protection powered by Physna’s technology.

Shapeways CEO Marleen Vogelaar shared, “The team behind Thangs truly cares about their creators and community, which aligns perfectly with the original spirit of Shapeways. We are also impressed by their 3D search technology, which provides important protection for the intellectual property of creators. We are excited to work together to integrate a ‘Print to Shapeways’ button within Thangs and develop shops. While Thangs will become a subsidiary, we will maintain its unique identity and continue to support the community.”

The integration of Shapeways and Thangs brings new opportunities for both communities. Designers on Thangs will now have the ability to expand their offerings by leveraging Shapeways’ digital manufacturing engine to sell physical products directly to consumers. This partnership will bring a broader customer base and additional revenue streams to the Thangs community while maintaining the platform’s existing functionality and identity.

Physna, Inc. CEO and Co-founder Paul Powers expressed his excitement for the partnership, saying, “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. We are confident that the strong synergies between the two companies will drive growth and create value for both communities.”

Head of Community Relations at Thangs, Dan Pham, added, “When Shapeways approached Thangs, we saw a unique opportunity to empower our community of designers to grow their businesses. 3D printing is transforming commerce globally, and we are excited to provide designers with even more tools to help them succeed. We invite all 3D designers to join Thangs and continue to grow with us.”

Moving forward, Thangs will serve as the consumer-facing brand for creators and makers, while Shapeways will continue to focus on business customers. Both brands will be powered by Shapeways’ digital manufacturing engine, combining expertise in software, hardware, and post-processing solutions with agile, on-demand manufacturing capabilities.

For more information about Shapeways and Thangs, please visit www.shapeways.com and www.thangs.com. For press inquiries, please contact James Woodcock at press@shapeways.com.

Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/