MakerBot and The Foundry Announce New Partnership

Two Companies to Work Together to Bring Next Generation 3D Modeling to the MakerBot Replicator 3D Printing Platform

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MakerBot, a global leader in desktop 3D printing, and The Foundry, the global CG software provider, announced a unique partnership Thursday evening at The Foundry’s San Francisco launch event for MODO 801, the latest edition of the popular 3D modeling, animation, visual effects and rendering software package. MakerBot was one of the sponsors of the live-streamed event, which featured a range of leading speakers from a variety of industries.

As part of the partnership, MakerBot and The Foundry are working together to develop resources to ensure the seamless integration of MODO and the MakerBot® Replicator® 3D Printing Platform. It is anticipated that this relationship will help make The Foundry’s software, when combined with 3D printing on a MakerBot Replicator® Desktop 3D Printer, even easier and more accessible for artists of every level.

This partnership also offers users of The Foundry’s MODO 3D content creation platform a ten percent discount on the purchase of a MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D Printer, a MakerBot Replicator Z18 3D Printer, or a MakerBot Replicator 2 Desktop 3D Printer through June 25, 2014.

The Foundry’s design-focused solutions include MODO, the advanced end-to-end 3D content creation package as well as the revolutionary MeshFusion Boolean modeling plugin toolset. The Foundry’s software suite, including MODO, powers visual effects for films like Gravity, Pacific Rim, and World War Z, and television shows such as Boardwalk Empire and Game of Thrones.

The Foundry describes the new version, MODO 801, as bringing high-end features to the masses, building upon the groundbreaking content creation functionality that was implemented in the last release. Every element of the end-to-end 3D workflow has been improved upon and tweaked based on extensive customer feedback from a wide range of industries.

MODO and MeshFusion together represent the simplest and most powerful way for an end-user to create custom models, which can then be exported to MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D Printers. MODO also provides tools for MakerBot Digitizer™ Desktop 3D Scanner customers to clean and modify their scanned data in a streamlined and integrated modeling environment.

“We are very excited to announce this relationship with The Foundry,” noted Bre Pettis, CEO of MakerBot. “MakerBot has long been a fan of The Foundry’s MODO application and the MeshFusion plugin, which provide a variety of modeling methodologies that can take a 3D model from ordinary to extraordinary. We are excited to see what our combined communities and products working together will create.”

“Using our solutions, artists have the ability to effortlessly blend, add and subtract objects, then export to a watertight mesh, a process that we believe revolutionizes 3D modeling and offers infinite creative possibilities for MakerBot 3D printer users,” said Christopher Kenessey, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer at The Foundry. “In our opinion, MakerBot shares our passion for creating accessible products without sacrificing final quality results, and we look forward to working closely together to streamline our offerings and make them more and more applicable to designers around the world. We also share similar corporate cultures as well as a love for Star Wars! MakerBot has Star Wars themed conference rooms, and we have a Wookiee costume.”

The Foundry customers interested in purchasing a bundled software package with a MakerBot Replicator or Digitizer can find out more at thefoundry.co.uk/products/modo/3d-printing.

About MakerBot

MakerBot, a subsidiary of Stratasys Ltd., is leading the Next Industrial Revolution by setting the standards in reliable and affordable desktop 3D printing. Founded in 2009, MakerBot has built the largest installed base of desktop 3D printers sold to innovative and industry-leading customers worldwide, including engineers, architects, designers, educators and consumers. The MakerBot 3D Ecosystem drives accessibility and rapid adoption of 3D printing and includes Thingiverse.com, the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner, the MakerBot Replicator line of Desktop 3D Printers, MakerBot Desktop, the MakerBot MakerCare® Protection Plan, the MakerBot Retail Stores and strategic partnerships with top-tier brands. MakerBot has been honored with many accolades, including Popular Mechanics’ “Overall Winner” for best 3D printer, Time’s “Best Inventions of 2012,” Popular Mechanics’ “Editor’s Choice Award,” Popular Science’s “Product of the Year,” Fast Company’s “One of the World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Consumer Electronics” and many more. Join the Next Industrial Revolution by following MakerBot at makerbot.com.

About Stratasys

Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq: SSYS), headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn., and Rehovot, Israel, is a leading global provider of 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions. The company’s patented FDM® and PolyJet® 3D printing technologies produce prototypes and manufactured goods directly from 3D CAD files or other 3D content. Systems include 3D printers for idea development, prototyping and direct digital manufacturing. Stratasys subsidiaries include MakerBot and Solidscape and the company operates the RedEye digital-manufacturing service. Stratasys has more than 1,800 employees, holds over 550 granted or pending additive manufacturing patents globally, and has received more than 25 awards for its technology and leadership. Online at: stratasys.com or blog.stratasys.com.

About The Foundry

Headquartered in London, with offices in Los Angeles and Silicon Valley, The Foundry develops award-winning creative software solutions used globally by leading designers, digital artists, hobbyists and students. The portfolio lets users create inspiring and high-end visuals and digital content across a wide range of industries including product and concept design, marketing and advertising, VFX and game development. All of the company’s products, including MODO, are used to create breathtaking visual effects sequences on a wide range of feature films, television projects and commercials. For more information, visit thefoundry.co.uk.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain information included or incorporated by reference in this press release may be deemed to be “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements are often characterized by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “continue,” “believe,” “should,” “intend,” “project” or other similar words, but are not the only way these statements are identified. These forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the company’s objectives, plans and strategies, statements regarding the company’s current and future products and their expected performance, features and initial availability, statements that contain projections of results of operations or of financial condition and all statements (other than statements of historical facts) that address activities, events or developments that the company intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties. The company has based these forward-looking statements on assumptions and assessments made by its management in light of their experience and their perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future products and other developments and other factors they believe to be appropriate. Important factors that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements include, among other things: inherent uncertainty in the process and timing (including initial shipment dates) for developing new 3D printing products; the level of customer acceptance of such products; the impact of competition and new technologies; general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the company operates; changes in the company’s strategy; government regulations and approvals; changes in customers’ budgeting priorities; litigation and regulatory proceedings; and those factors referred to under “Risk Factors,” “Information on the Company” and “Operating and Financial Review and Prospects” and generally in the company’s annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2013 filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and in other reports that the company has filed with the SEC. Readers are urged to carefully review and consider the various disclosures made in the company’s SEC reports, which are designed to advise interested parties of the risks and factors that may affect its business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and the company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Jenifer Howard | MakerBot
jenifer.howard@makerbot.com
+1-347-676-3932 (o)
+1-203-273-4246 (m)
or
Ian Hall | The Foundry
ian@thefoundry.co.uk
+44 (0)20 7968 6828 (o)

Source: MakerBot

Released April 25, 2014