Jun.6, 2013
New York-based company MakerBot Industries LLC, the maker of 3-D printers, is in talks with suitors that could lead to the sale of the company, according to Spencer E. Ante's article in the Wall Street Journal.
"The four-year-old startup was recently gauging its options for raising a new round of venture capital at a valuation of $300 million when the discussions led to interest from possible acquirers, people familiar with the matter said."
"The talks are continuing, but it is far from certain that they will lead to an acquisition, the people said."
But Ante also mentioned, Makerbot may end up raising more venture capital to continue building its business instead of cashing out.
Makerbot makes no comment on these rumors.
MakerBot was founded in 2009 by former public school teacher Bre Pettis, website developer Zack Hoeken Smith and software developer Adam Mayer. And now only Bre Pettis stays with the company. Mr. Pettis, a big stockholder of the company, will end up driving the decision, the rumor said.
In 2011 the company raised $10 million in venture capital, one of the investors is Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos.
According to the article, more than 20,000 of Makerbot 3-D printers have been sold since 2009. Makerbot generated around $10 million in revenue last year, and will reach or exceed $50 million in sales this year. Among all the customers, Ford Motor is a largest one.
This week the MakerBot Factory, located in the Sunset Park district of Brooklyn, officially opens its doors on Friday. The facility boasts 50,000 square feet (4,645 sqm) of production and warehouse space.
Source: Wall Street Journal
Posted in 3D Printing Company
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Probably 3DSystems trying to buy them out so they can kill the product, kill support for existing makerbot customers, and promote the expensive Cube with its even ridiculously more expensive filament cartridges. I really hope makerbot doesnt sell out, I want to buy a replicator 2x someday after the makerware software matures a little more. It will complement my PP3DP/Afinia printer well
Anon wrote at 6/6/2013 11:32:39 PM:
I wish all of their capital would translate into better printers. I still don't see them as providing a notably better service or product than their many competitors, despite the millions of dollars of capital they could have invested.
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