Metal-Base
An affordable, compact Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) metal 3D printer designed to democratize professional-grade metal additive manufacturing for small-scale workshops and labs.
- CEO / Founder
- Jake Hand
- Team Size
- 1-10
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- Undisclosed (Crowdfunding)
- Latest Round
- Crowdfunding (Kickstarter)
- Key Investors
- Jake Hand, Martin Jewell, Rapid Fusion (Sister Company), Kickstarter Backers
Technology & Products
Key Products
["Metal 1.0 (Compact LPBF 3D Printer)","Proprietary Slicing Profiles (Orca Slicer integration)","Optimized Metal Powders (316L Stainless Steel, Bronze, and upcoming Copper)","Enclosed Powder Handling and Nitrogen Management Systems"]
Technological Advantage
Operates on standard wall-outlet power (<800W) and utilizes the open-source Klipper firmware for motion control, providing a user-friendly interface and high-speed motion planning typical of desktop FDM printers but applied to metal fusion.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Delivers true industrial-grade LPBF technology (creating near-fully dense metal parts) at a sub-€10,000 price point, eliminating the need for complex debinding and sintering processes required by filament-based metal printing.
How They Differentiate
Utilizes a high-absorption 445nm blue diode laser and an XY gantry motion system (Klipper-based) instead of traditional fiber lasers and galvo-scanners, reducing the entry price to sub-€10,000 while maintaining true industrial LPBF density.
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Research and Development (R&D) labs, engineering startups, educational institutions, and high-end enthusiast makers.
Industry Verticals
["Aerospace & Defense (Prototyping)","Higher Education & Research","Industrial Engineering","Medical Device Research","Jewelry & Small-scale Manufacturing"]
Competitors
One Click Metal; Xact Metal; Sharebot
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Beta program successfully concluded in late 2025; entered public market with Kickstarter launch in early 2026.
Major Milestones
["Founded in 2024 in Geldrop, Netherlands","Successfully developed working Metal 1.0 prototype using blue diode laser technology","Pre-launched the Metal 1.0 beta program in 2025","Public Kickstarter campaign launch scheduled for Q1 2026"]
Notable Customers
Research and Development (R&D) labs; Small-scale engineering firms; University workshops
Recent coverage of Metal-Base
- Metal-Base launches entry-level LPBF metal 3D printer starting at 8,500 Euro via Kickstarter
- Metal-Base has launched the Metal 1.0 on Kickstarter, marking a pivotal moment by bringing Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) technology below the 10,000 USD price point.
- Dutch startup Metal-Base is disrupting the market with the Metal 1.0, a compact LPBF printer launching on Kickstarter for under €10,000.
- Dutch startup Metal-Base is disrupting the metal additive manufacturing market with the pre-launch of The Metal 1.0, an LPBF system priced under 10,000 Euro.