MT Magazine March/April 2024

FEATURE STORY

THE ADDITIVE ISSUE

28

Global AM Venture Capital Investments by Category

$2.50B

$1.99B

$2.00B

$1.38B

$1.50B

$662M

$1.11B

$848M

$1.00B

$189M

$642M

$579M

$149M

$1.08B

$500M

$131M

$830M

$615M

$465M

$429M

$0

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Core

Applications

Materials

Software

Grand Total

In high-growth technologies or industries, equity financial transactions are typically announced publicly and often include dollar amounts. When taken in aggregate, these investments and acquisitions reflect the sector’s collective entrepreneurial activity and the interest levels from financial and corporate strategic investors. For acquisition announcements, changes in ownership represent corporate interests in a technology’s future and corresponding supply chain implications. These data and trends illustrate a challenging 2023 and indicate the need for a more methodical and focused approach to growth for companies in additive manufacturing. Additive Manufacturing Minority Investments Investments in additive manufacturing are categorized by four groups separated by value chain position as well as technology. • Core investments represent developers across AM processes, 3D printers, and post-processing equipment alongside 3D printing service providers, online

marketplaces, and other hardware technology enablers. • Applications companies include specialized service companies focused on a particular industry or product class, such as heat exchangers, consumer goods, or medical implants. • Materials investments cover materials suppliers, formulators, and developers. • Software includes companies with a specialization in additive manufacturing software across the computer aided design, engineering, or manufacturing workflow. (Note: All investment and M&A data excludes biological, construction, food, and desktop consumer-focused 3D printing companies.) Global venture capital investment in additive manufacturing companies has decreased 44% from its $1.99 billion peak in 2022 to $1.11 billion in 2023. Since 2019, the $1.11 billion represents a 5.5% five-year compounded annual growth rate, which does little to capture the disproportionate decrease and subsequent

CORE INVESTMENTS

APPLICATIONS COMPANIES

MATERIALS INVESTMENTS

SOFTWARE