Rabbit Proto
Develops open-source syringe extruder add-ons for RepRap 3D printers to print conductive traces within 3D designs, enabling integrated circuitry in single print jobs.
- CEO / Founder
- Alexandre Jais
- Team Size
- 1-10
- Stage
- Acquired
- Latest Round
- Acquired
Technology & Products
Key Products
Pure Rabbit syringe extruder ($350); Super Rabbit dual-extruder system ($450); Fully-assembled RepRap 3D printer with pre-installed extruder ($2,499); Open-source schematics and firmware on GitHub
Technological Advantage
Proprietary syringe extruder design that deposits conductive ink alongside standard plastic extrusion, allowing hybrid structural-conductive prints; open-source model encourages community adoption and customization
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Enables 3D printers to deposit conductive ink during printing, allowing creation of interactive prototypes with embedded circuitry without stopping prints or complex modifications, reducing prototyping complexity and cost.
How They Differentiate
Rabbit Proto focuses on low-cost, open-source add-ons for existing desktop 3D printers ($350-450) versus Voxel8's dedicated multi-material printers ($9,000+), Nano Dimension's industrial PCB printers ($50,000+), and BotFactory's desktop PCB printers; enables conductive traces within 3D objects rather than 2D circuit boards
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Makers, hobbyists, educators, and electronics prototyping enthusiasts using desktop FDM/RepRap 3D printers
Industry Verticals
Electronics Prototyping; Education; Maker/Hobbyist; Wearable Technology
Competitors
Voxel8; Nano Dimension; BotFactory
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Acquired/merged into Nascent Objects in August 2014 (founder confirmation); later Nascent Objects acquired by Facebook (Sep 2016). Commercial sales stopped; open-source GitHub (rabbitproto/glowing-carrot) last updated Oct 2015. Website still live as archival/project page. No public funding totals, customers, or growth metrics found.
Major Milestones
2014: Launched as Stanford d.school Launchpad project; 2014: Received pre-orders for Pure Rabbit and Super Rabbit systems; 2014: Open-sourced schematics and firmware on GitHub; 2014: Featured in TechCrunch, 3DPrint.com, and TCT Magazine; Aug 2014: Merged with / acquired by Nascent Objects (acqui-hire); post-acquisition: project continued as open-source on GitHub only