NEW YORK, April 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The promise of 3D Printing for all - designers and consumers, alike - takes a significant step forward as Shapeways, the leading 3D Printing marketplace and community, today announced a $30 million Series C round of financing, led by Andreessen Horowitz. The current investors of Shapeways - Union Square Ventures, Index Ventures, and Lux Capital - also participated in the round. Chris Dixon, partner at Andreessen Horowitz, will take a board seat at the company.

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"Our vision is big; we want to make 3D printing affordable and accessible for everyone worldwide. This funding will help us realize our vision at an even faster rate," said Co-Founder & CEO, Peter Weijmarshausen. "Andreessen Horowitz has a great track record of investing in companies solving unique problems, and like us, believes that 3D Printing has the potential to completely change the world. We couldn't be more excited about working together."

"Shapeways eliminates the fixed costs of manufacturing and makes use of breakthrough advances in 3D printing," says Chris Dixon, General Partner at Andreessen Horowitz.  "We believe that technology is at its best when it enables human creativity. The Internet unlocked the world of bits. 3D printing is unlocking the world of atoms."

Shapeways plans to use the Series C financing to grow its team, build more factories, and continue to overcome the technological challenges that will allow them to revolutionize 3D printing even further.

With well over 1,000,000 3D-printed products to date, and 60,000 new designs uploaded every month, Shapeways is among the largest online marketplaces for custom products. On Shapeways, individuals can make, buy, and sell custom products ranging from iPhone cases and jewelry to functional parts. Shapeways.com is home to 10,000 Shops run by independent designers who sell their products to customers around the world.

"Shapeways Shop Owners are the future of small business: they don't have inventory, they rapidly iterate on products, and they have direct access to consumer feedback," Weijmarshausen added.

Media contact:
Elisa Richardson, Shapeways
elisa@shapeways.com
917-740-1428

About Shapeways
Shapeways is the world's leading 3D Printing marketplace and community to make, buy, and sell custom and personalized products. Shapeways is revolutionizing 3D printing, making it affordable and accessible for designers and consumers worldwide. The startup turns ideas into reality through on-demand 3D printing services -- redefining manufacturing, supply chain, and e-commerce, and democratizing creation for everyone. Headquartered in New York with offices in Eindhoven and Seattle, Shapeways is a spin-out of the lifestyle incubator of Royal Philips Electronics. For more information, go to: www.shapeways.com

SOURCE Shapeways