Aniwaa calls it a day
The Atomic Layers: S9E11 (00248)
Atomic Layer of the Day:
Another AM company has (officially) gone out of business. Today, Martin Lansard – co-founder of Aniwaa, the world’s largest 3D printer database – announced the company is shutting down. He is moving on to join Wohlers Associates, part of ASTM International, an organization Wohlers has belonged to since 2021.
The truth is, the announcement of Aniwaa ceasing operations doesn't come as much of a surprise. The company had been silent for a while, and most of the key people involved in its development had already moved on to other roles by the end of last year. And there were, you know, rumors…
So one could say that Aniwaa formally ended its operations the moment its CEO accepted a new job elsewhere. Fair enough…
Aniwaa was founded in 2013 by Martin Lansard and Pierre-Antoine Arrighi as a shared project. Initially a hobby blog about 3D printing, it gradually evolved into a professional comparison platform for equipment.
Lansard, with experience from Google, and Arrighi, formerly of Dassault Systèmes, decided to create a tool focused solely on presenting and comparing technical specifications of 3D printers and related peripheral devices, such as 3D scanners, rather than publishing news articles like most blogs.
By 2015, Aniwaa’s database included over 1,300 products, distinguished by advanced filtering tools and a user-friendly interface. In 2018, the company secured funding that enabled it to shift toward the B2B market – offering services that connected manufacturers with businesses, such as sample ordering and VR/AR product demonstrations. Though officially registered in Singapore, the company operated remotely from France and Cambodia.
Another key moment came in 2020, when the revamped platform included more than 2,100 products and focused on professional users. Aniwaa became a leading source of information in the 3D printing industry, providing detailed technical data. After relocating back to France in 2021, the company intensified its efforts in the industrial market, developing tools for businesses and expanding into adjacent technologies like AR and post-processing.
In June 2024, Aniwaa made one final high-profile attempt to regain attention in the industry by releasing a comprehensive 3D printing landscape map, featuring over 600 manufacturers. But that proved to be more of a swan song…
Today, Martin Lansard officially announced the closure of Aniwaa. In a LinkedIn post, he explained the decision was due to difficulties in gaining sufficient traction in the market. He emphasized that while the company didn’t achieve full commercial success, the journey was incredibly valuable, allowing him to build strong relationships and gain deep industry knowledge.
After Aniwaa's closure, Lansard joined Wohlers Associates, Powered by ASTM, as Head of Digital Platforms. His new role focuses on digitizing Wohlers’ offerings – in a way, continuing Aniwaa’s mission of delivering knowledge and supporting the 3D printing industry.
Wohlers – the longest-running research firm in the additive manufacturing space – has belonged to ASTM International since 2021. Notably, Michael Molitch-Hou, formerly of 3DPrint.com, also recently joined ASTM.
Atomic Layer from the Past:
04-11-2016: New Balance introduced the Zante Generate.
Calling all LFAM 3D printers manufacturers!
We’re kicking off recruitment for the new edition of The 3D Printing World Guide — this time, we’re looking for the largest 3D printers from around the world!
📅 Planned release date: April 15, 2025.
News & Gossip:
And while speaking of ASTM, ASTM’s Additive Manufacturing Center of Excellence and ASTRO America have launched a multi-year partnership to advance Additive Friction Stir Deposition (AFSD). The initiative, running through 2027, aims to accelerate industrial adoption of AFSD by developing standards, quality systems, and non-destructive evaluation techniques for large-scale metal AM.
In February, Stratasys announced a $120 million investment from Fortissimo Capital. That investment has now been formalized, and Fortissimo now owns 15.5% of the company. Fortissimo acquired 11.65 million shares at $10.30 each. Yuval Cohen, Fortissimo’s managing partner, joins the Stratasys board, replacing outgoing director Dr. Yoav Zeif (who, however, remains the company’s CEO).
nPower Technologies has joined the Autodesk Technology Partner Program and will integrate its nPower Scheduler with Autodesk Fusion CAD/CAM/PCB software. This collaboration aims to streamline additive manufacturing workflows by linking design data with production scheduling. Key benefits include real-time synchronization between CAD/CAM and shop floor schedules, reduced data entry, minimized errors, and improved production efficiency. By aligning 3D printers and manufacturing capabilities with production plans, the integration helps teams accelerate time-to-market and respond faster to design changes and customer needs—enhancing visibility, coordination, and overall performance across advanced manufacturing environments.