MyMiniFactory acquires Thingiverse to save 3D printing file sharing from AI — Thingverse has eight million users and 2.5 million 'things'

Source: Tom’s Hardware

Acquisition Overview

MyMiniFactory has announced the surprise acquisition of the world’s oldest and largest 3D‑printing file‑sharing site, Thingiverse. Originally launched in 2008 by MakerBot, Thingiverse boasts over 8 million users and a repository of well over 2.5 million “things.”

History of Thingiverse

• 2008 – Launched by MakerBot as an open‑source community project where makers could store and share digital designs regardless of the 3D printer they owned.
• 2013 – Acquired by Stratasys through its purchase of MakerBot.
• 2022 – Ownership transitioned to Ultimaker following the merger of Ultimaker and MakerBot.

Future Plans

Rees Calder, the newly appointed Chief Marketing Officer of Thingiverse, said in an interview that Thingiverse will join MyMiniFactory (MMF) as a “SoulCrafted” company while remaining a standalone platform. SoulCrafted is an MMF initiative introduced in 2025, championing the importance of human‑made designs, curation, and a sustainable economic model for digital artists.