M3D’s flagship product, the Micro, is an ultra-compact 3D printer with a 4.5 cubic-inch build volume (prints up to 4.5 inches high), an internal filament spool, and a self-leveling print bed. The company pairs a very bare-bones hardware design with software that lets users search open-source objects, resize them in-app, and print directly. Founders Michael Armani and David Jones are building the product out of a team in Bethesda, MD. The Kickstarter campaign smashed its $50,000 goal in 11 minutes and has raised over $400,000 to date. Early-bird pledges were $199 (briefly) and later rose to $299; the article characterizes the $199 price as a loss leader and $299 as a feasible retail price. Reported component cost estimates include a case under $20, an extruder around $100 (a very simple extruder retails at $65), and likely shipping of $12–$20 depending on manufacturing. The article notes risk around fulfillment and shipping if the campaign scales and expects prices to continue falling as larger players enter the market.

Total raised

$0M

Funding rounds

1

Latest round

Equity

Latest activity

Apr 2014