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LINK3D

SoftwareNew York, United StatesFounded 2016· One of 350 Software companies tracked by AMPulse

An additive Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and workflow software designed to connect the digital thread and help organizations streamline, automate, and scale their 3D printing operations. It is now integrated into the Materialise CO-AM software platform.

CEO / Founder
Mike Jones
Team Size
51-200
Stage
Acquired
Total Funding
$33.5M
Latest Round
Acquired
Key Investors
AI Capital, Materialise

Technology & Products

Key Products

Additive Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and workflow software, now integrated into the Materialise CO-AM software platform.

Technological Advantage

The company's main advantage was its comprehensive software solution that allowed for the standardization and scaling of additive manufacturing processes within large, complex organizations, leading to increased efficiency, better data analytics for production optimization, and robust quality control.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

To provide a centralized, hardware-agnostic platform for managing the entire additive manufacturing workflow, enabling end-to-end traceability, quality control, and improved production efficiency for industrial-scale 3D printing.

How They Differentiate

LINK3D differentiated itself by focusing on being a pure-play, hardware-agnostic software provider for additive manufacturing workflows. It offered deep integrations and a user-friendly interface tailored for enterprises looking to manage complex, distributed production environments and scale their AM operations. It is now integrated into the Materialise CO-AM software platform.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Enterprises in highly regulated industries such as aerospace, automotive, medical, and defense, that are looking to scale their additive manufacturing operations.

Industry Verticals

["Aerospace & Defense","Automotive","Medical","Industrial"]

Competitors

Authentise; Oqton; Siemens

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Acquired by Materialise for $33.5 million in November 2021, demonstrating significant growth and validation of its technology and market position.

Major Milestones

["2016: Company founded.","2018: Raised $1.1M in a Seed round.","2019: Raised $7M in a Venture round.","2019: Announced partnerships with EOS and Autodesk.","2021: Acquired by Materialise for $33.5M."]

Notable Customers

While specific customer names are not widely publicized, LINK3D targeted Fortune 500 companies and government agencies in the aerospace, defense, and medical sectors. Published a case study on biomedical 3D printing.

Why this company matters

LINK3D developed an additive manufacturing execution system (MES) and workflow software designed to connect the digital thread for industrial-scale 3D printing operations. Its platform enabled end-to-end traceability, quality control, and production efficiency across hardware-agnostic environments, filling a gap for enterprises needing to standardize and scale AM processes within complex organizations.

The software automated the entire additive workflow, from order submission and quoting through production tracking and post-processing management. It integrated with existing enterprise systems such as ERP and PLM, and offered features like a fully automated request-for-quote process and blockchain-based tracking of design file origination for intellectual property integrity. The platform served highly regulated industries including aerospace, defense, automotive, and medical, targeting Fortune 500 companies and government agencies.

LINK3D was acquired by Materialise for $33.5 million in November 2021, and its technology now forms a core component of the Materialise CO-AM platform. This acquisition strengthened Materialise's competitive position against other integrated AM software platforms like Oqton and Authentise. Prior to acquisition, LINK3D had raised $33.5 million from investors including AI Capital and Materialise, and had announced partnerships with EOS, Autodesk, HP, and SLM Solutions.

The company's main strategic moat was its pure-play, hardware-agnostic software approach combined with deep enterprise integrations, which allowed it to serve complex, distributed production environments. With its IP now absorbed into Materialise's CO-AM platform, the independent competitive dynamics of LINK3D have shifted, though its technology continues to compete in the additive MES market under the Materialise umbrella.