Shapeways Buys Majority Stake in Thangs

Shapeways, an engine for digital manufacturing solutions, has acquired Thangs, the collaborative 3D file sharing and discovery community. The acquisition marks the second step of the plan created by the new management team that collaborated to relaunch Shapeways. Thangs is a platform built for creators and invites former Shapeways members and newcomers to visit thangs.com/memberships to learn more.

The acquisition addresses gaps in Shapeways’ previous infrastructure, according to Shapeways. Changes to the Shapeways business model by the former management team left the infrastructure underpinning Shops and Marketplace outdated. The acquisition of Thangs from Physna, Inc., provides the community with a solution that extends beyond Shapeways’ prior capabilities combining IP security powered by Physna’s technology with a modern platform tailored to creators’ needs. Thangs and Shapewaystogether create a ecosystem that spans the full 3D creation value chain.

A Shared Vision for Creators

“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," says Shapeways CEO Marleen Vogelaar. "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. We will be working now to create the ‘Print to Shapeways’ button within Thangs, and developing shops. We will be retaining the spirit of Thangs, which will become Thangs 3D Inc., a subsidiary, while creating a new home for Shapeways community members’ 3D files and businesses.” 

The integration of Shapeways and Thangs creates opportunities for both communities. Designers on Thangs will be able to expand their offering beyond digital assets by leveraging Shapeways’ digital manufacturing engine to sell physical products directly to consumers. 

“The synergy between Shapeways and Thangs was clear from the start," says Paul Powers, CEO and co-founder of Physna. "While Physna will continue to focus primarily on our B2B [business-to-business] and government products, we remain invested in Thangs and have a great relationship with the community.”  

Dan Pham, head of Community Relations at Thangs, adds, “When Shapeways approached Thangs, we recognized 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. It’s an incredibly exciting frontier, and we’re thrilled to provide designers with even more tools to help them succeed. If you’re a 3D designer, we invite you to join Thangs.”

Moving forward, Thangs will serve as the consumer-facing brand for creators and makers, whereas 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.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.