05-03-2016: Formlabs acquired Pinshape – an online 3D printing repository and marketplace
At its peak, the service had over 75,000 active users and saw more than 1,500 daily downloads
On May 3, 2016, Formlabs announced it had acquired Pinshape, one of the many online 3D printing communities that hosted downloadable 3D models. This came just a month after Pinshape had announced it would shut down due to a lack of funds to continue operations. Formlabs saved the platform from complete disappearance, but the enthusiasm for its continued development only lasted a few more years. Today, although Pinshape is still technically online, it appears to have been abandoned and has long lagged behind platforms like Thingiverse, Cults, MyMiniFactory, Printables, or MakerWorld.
Pinshape, founded in 2013 in Vancouver, was a social platform and digital marketplace that enabled users to browse, download, and share 3D printable models. At its peak, the service had over 75,000 active users and saw more than 1,500 daily downloads.
Despite this, Pinshape was unable to achieve sustainable profitability. The main reasons were the collapse of the consumer 3D printing market in 2016, the lack of a clear monetization model, and difficulties in securing further investment capital.
Offering mostly free models (99.5% of transactions were free), Pinshape could not generate stable revenue, which ultimately led to the announcement of its closure as of March 31, 2016.
However, on May 3, 2016, the course changed as the platform was officially acquired by Formlabs – a leading manufacturer of SLA 3D printers. For Formlabs, the acquisition of Pinshape held strategic importance as a way to strengthen its relationship with the user community and deepen its connection with designers.
The company had no intention of monetizing the platform in the manner of an “iTunes for 3D models,” but rather aimed to create a space akin to GitHub, where collaboration and the co-creation of innovative projects would be the main value.
For a time after the acquisition, the platform continued operating with minimal changes, and the Pinshape team worked with Formlabs to gradually transition operations to Boston and integrate with the new parent company. Despite these efforts, community activity declined steadily in the following years, and since around 2019, the platform has not seen any meaningful development.
Currently, it’s more likely to come across listings by sex workers than innovative 3D designs. Another fun fact – the header image on Pinshape’s homepage is the exact same one from 2017.
Source: www.formlabs.com
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