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Executive Summary: Which are the New 3D Printing Companies to Watch?

  1. Manufacturing Technology Project (USA): Develops AdditiveM software for advanced metal AM process modeling.
  2. ChainReactor (Portugal): Produces scalable 3D-printed bioreactors with cloud-connected controls.
  3. 2am Software (France): Offers SaaS for managing end-to-end additive manufacturing workflows.
  4. micro factory (Germany): Delivers automated resin 3D printing systems for precision manufacturing.
  5. Allow Motion (Belgium): Creates 3D-printed myoelectric prosthetic systems with AI-driven gesture recognition.
  6. Optonics (Estonia): Manufactures affordable, professional-grade SLS 3D printers.
  7. FootPrint3D (Netherlands): Provides 3D-printed, custom-made orthopedic insoles.
  8. Syntilay (USA): Designs AI-personalized, 3D-printed footwear for consumers and designers.

Global Startup Heat Map highlights New 3D Printing Companies to Watch

Through the Big Data & Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering over 7M+ startups, 20K+ technology trends, plus 150M+ patents, news articles & market reports, we identified the top 3D Printing Solutions.

The Global Startup Heat Map below highlights emerging additive manufacturing companies you should watch in 2026, as well as the geo-distribution of 1100+ 3D printing startups & scaleups we analyzed for this research.

According to our data, we observe high startup activity in the USA and India, followed by Germany. The top 5 Startup Hubs for Additive Manufacturing Startups are London, Bangalore, San Francisco, Berlin, and Dubai.

 

 

Meet Emerging 3D Printing Companies to Watch in 2026

We hand-picked startups to showcase in this report by filtering for their technology, founding year, location, funding, and other metrics. These emerging additive manufacturing solutions work on solutions ranging from AI-designed 3D printed shoes and AI-designed 3D printed shoes to one-click 3D printing machines and the 3D business applications SaaS platform.

1. Manufacturing Technology Project – Metal Additive Manufacturing Process Modeling

  • Founding Year: 2023
  • Location: Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA

USA-based startup Manufacturing Technology Project develops AdditiveM, a computational engineering software platform for advanced metal additive manufacturing (AM) process modeling. AdditiveM simulates metal AM with detailed layer-by-layer deposition, melt-pool dynamics, and temperature evolution. It covers both powder-bed fusion and directed energy deposition technologies.

The software integrates physics-based and data-driven simulation modules to support real-time visualization of temperature gradients, residual stresses, and microstructure development during the build process. Its mesh-free particle modeling and digital twin technology enable direct links between process variables, material properties, and defect prediction in virtual builds.

It provides modular, multiscale workflows that span macroscale structural responses down to fine melt-pool features. This boosts simulation accuracy and part quality. The platform benefits both researchers and industrial engineers with predictive tools to optimize AM parameters, reduce costly trial-and-error, and accelerate high-performance metal part development.

2. ChainReactor – 3D-Printed Bioreactors

  • Founding Year: 2024
  • Location: Lisbon, Portugal

Portuguese startup ChainReactor produces scalable, affordable bioreactors built with on-demand 3D printing technology. This system fabricates polymer vessels ranging from 250ml to 2000 liters while supporting stirred-tank, airlift, and perfusion modes for diverse bioprocess needs.

ChainReactor’s cloud-connected control station includes peristaltic pumps, machine-vision soft sensors, and strong temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen regulation. It allows users to automate and monitor bioreactor operations through a touchscreen interface and scriptable software. This enables remote-controlled experimentation and quick workflow adjustments.

ChainReactor reduces production costs, speeds up scaling, and democratizes access to biomanufacturing for commercial and research applications.

3. 2am Software – 3D Printing Production Management

  • Founding Year: 2023
  • Location: Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France

French startup 2am software provides a cloud-based SaaS platform for professionals in additive manufacturing by streamlining the entire 3D printing production cycle. Its business applications include CAD import, build preparation, nesting, support generation, and print scheduling into a unified interface with cloud-native operations.

The platform connects with enterprise resource planning, product lifecycle management, and fleet management tools. Its role-based access and flexible system integrations manage end-to-end additive manufacturing workflows. It offers automated and scriptable features that minimize manual setup time.

2am Software’s dashboards offer real-time monitoring and reporting for tracking resource consumption and job status for improved visibility and efficiency. The platform allows organizations to focus on core design and production by centralizing and automating 3D manufacturing processes.

4. micro factory – Resin 3D Printing

  • Founding Year: 2023
  • Location: Munich, Germany

German startup micro factory creates fully automated, encapsulated masked stereolithography apparatus (MSLA) 3D printing systems for precision additive manufacturing. Its compact desktop platform includes all phases of the MSLA process, preparation, printing, and post-processing, into a single automated workflow.

micro factory’s technology incorporates closed-loop sensor monitoring to ensure process reliability and user protection. It encloses the printing environment to protect operators from exposure to harmful materials.

The cloud-based management platform enables remote setup, scheduling, and monitoring of print jobs. This supports distributed manufacturing and flexible production management from anywhere. The system supports a variety of resins like engineering, dental, and medical-grade, making it versatile for prototyping, low-volume manufacturing, and scalable print farms.

 

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5. Allow Motion – 3D-printed Myoelectric Prosthetic System

  • Founding Year: 2023
  • Location: Liege, Belgium

Belgian startup Allow Motion makes 3D-printed myoelectric prosthetic systems using additive manufacturing for customized user solutions. These 3D-printed modular prostheses range from partial hands to full arms. These are fabricated on demand using precise polymer additive techniques to enable customised devices for different levels of limb loss.

The NeoHand system utilizes AI-driven gesture recognition that is dynamically trained on EMG signals collected from the user’s residual limb. It incorporates detailed 3D scans for personalized fit and function. Its self-learning algorithms replace fixed movement patterns to support real-time calibration and adaptation to each user’s muscle activity.

Allow Motion offers lightweight prosthetic solutions that are rapidly produced by combining scalable 3D printing with intelligent control software. The platform ensures cost-effective manufacturing, non-invasive customization, and smooth human-machine integration.

6. Optonics – Affordable SLS 3D Printer

  • Founding Year: 2024
  • Location: Tartu, Estonia

Estonian startup Optonics offers an accessible and professional-grade SLS 3D printer for small businesses, academic institutions, and manufacturing professionals. The system combines a strong SLS print engine with an annealing chamber. This produces stronger nylon parts with automated post-processing with enhanced tensile strength, surface finish, and component durability.

Optonics monitors printing conditions in real time, flags anomalies, and minimizes powder waste with AI-powered optimization. This aids users in maintaining consistent quality while reducing operating costs.

Its built-in annealing feature improves mechanical properties to provide higher tensile strength, smoother surfaces, and longer-lasting parts compared to untreated prints. Optonics provides scalable additive manufacturing capabilities, benefiting researchers, manufacturers, and production planners to achieve reliable, high-quality, and durable parts.

7. FootPrint3D – 3D Printed Custom-made Insoles

  • Founding Year: 2023
  • Location: Maasbree, Netherlands

Dutch startup FootPrint3D provides a 3D printing solution for personalized insoles by combining material science, advanced hardware, and proprietary design software. It allows orthopaedic shoemakers and podiatrists to scan a patient’s foot, run biomechanical analyses, and digitally model custom insoles as per the user’s anatomical profiles.

Its design tools automatically adjust insole structures based on user data. This enables precise control of flexible and rigid zones within a single printed insole to optimize comfort, fit, and pressure distribution.

FootPrint3D reduces reliance on external fabrication by providing a complete in-house ecosyste, including training, materials, printers, and digital tools.

8. Syntilay – AI-designed 3D Printed Shoes

  • Founding Year: 2024
  • Location: Boca Raton, Florida, USA

USA-based startup Syntilay creates 3D-printed, AI-designed shoes based on each person’s unique foot shape and style preferences. These designs are fabricated with 3D printing technologies that combine flexible and durable materials for optimal comfort and performance.

Its digitalised workflow enables precise on-demand production to remove sizing constraints and reduce material waste. It allows users to actively participate in the design process by selecting style elements to co-create shoes that showcase personal taste as well as engineered ergonomics. Syntilay offers consumers and footwear designers customization options, data-driven performance innovation, and sustainable manufacturing practices.

Discover All Emerging Additive Manufacturing Startups

The additive manufacturing startups showcased in this report are only a small sample of all startups we identified through our data-driven startup scouting approach. Download our free Additive Manufacturing Innovation Report for a broad overview of the industry or get in touch for quick & exhaustive research on the latest technologies & emerging solutions that will impact your company in 2026!