After a downturn generated by earnings of 3D printing publicly traded companies in 2015, we have seen a shifted in the venture investment appetite towards less consumer facing solutions.
The 3D printing space has seen significant fundraising growth since 2013, with big manufacturing corporates like GE and Siemens investing heavily. The global 3D printing market was valued at USD 8.312 billion in 2017, and is expected to reach a value of USD 35.36 billion by 2023, at a CAGR of 27.29% over the forecast period (2018-2023).
Defined as companies that supply 3D printing products and services to B2B markets including aerospace, automotive, and construction, deals to industrial-focused 3D printing companies increased by 75% from 2014 to 2015, and increased a further 32% from 2015 to 2016.
Corporate investors account for an increasing percentage of investors in the industrial 3D printing space, pushing the deal count up year-over-year. Industrial markets offer some of the most promising applications for 3D printing technology, with potential to reduce costs, increase performance, and shorten supply chains.
The major factor influencing the rise in investments has been the continuous evolution and application of new technologies exploring an untapped market in the manufacturing sector. With these series of investments, healthcare, aerospace & defense, industrial, and consumer product applications in North America are set to boom over the next five years.