01-17-2017: Jonathan Jaglom stepped down as CEO of MakerBot and was replaced by Nadav Goshen
Both leaders guided the company through its most challenging and transformative stages
On January 17, 2017, MakerBot announced that their CEO, Jonathan Jaglom, had resigned, and the company president, Nadav Goshen, would take over leadership. Jaglom had led a comprehensive restructuring of MakerBot, which had fallen into organizational and financial chaos following the failure of the MakerBot 5th Generation printers and the departure of co-founder Bre Pettis. His successor, Goshen, led the company until its merger with Ultimaker in 2022, ultimately stepping down in 2023. Today, both Jaglom and Goshen are continuing their careers in entirely new industries and markets unrelated to additive manufacturing.
Jaglom's tenure at MakerBot lasted one year and eleven months. His mission was to restructure and stabilize what was once the world's largest manufacturer of desktop 3D printers. Jaglom assumed the CEO position in February 2015, succeeding Jenny Lawton, a long-time associate of Bre Pettis. In January 2017, Jaglom announced that he had accomplished his objectives and was returning to his native Israel for a well-deserved break.
Jaglom was a specialist in taking on high-risk, challenging projects. His career in the 3D printing industry began in 2005 at Israel-based Objet, where he served as the regional director for Eastern Europe, later advancing to roles in customer service and as vice president of Global Sales. Before joining MakerBot, he headed the Asian division of Stratasys, where he achieved significant success in launching the company’s products in new markets.
When Jaglom took over MakerBot in February 2015, the company was on the brink of collapse. It was plagued by excessive staffing levels, unrealistic deadlines for ambitious projects, and public promises that were never fulfilled. The premature release of MakerBot’s 5th Generation printers had been a disaster, casting a long shadow over the entire company. Bre Pettis stepped down as CEO in the fall of 2014 and was reassigned to an insignificant role within Stratasys. His successor, Jenny Lawton, lasted only four months as CEO. Today, neither of them is active in the 3D printing industry.
Jaglom inherited a company in financial trouble, a faulty product, and a mountain of negative PR. He began his leadership by laying off around 100 employees and closing all three of MakerBot’s retail stores in the United States. He followed this with further layoffs of another 100 employees and outsourced parts of 3D printer production abroad.
Jaglom’s efforts were not limited to cost-cutting and staff reductions. He spearheaded a complete shift in the company’s strategic direction, focusing on delivering products primarily to the education sector and small-to-medium-sized businesses. After a period of identity and image chaos, MakerBot regained its footing in the market. Jaglom believed the company was finally in a stable position to focus exclusively on growth without worrying about survival, and he handed over the reins to Nadav Goshen. Today, Jaglom is associated with flō-optics.
Nadav Goshen introduced the popular MakerBot METHOD line and, in 2022, orchestrated the high-profile merger with Ultimaker, resulting in the formation of a new company. He stepped down in September 2023 and is now associated with HiBob.