• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026

1

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch

2

MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year

3

Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
Tech3d printing

GE, BMW, and Nikon Just Poured Millions Into This Hot 3D-Printing Startup

By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jonathan Vanian
Jonathan Vanian
Down Arrow Button Icon
September 15, 2016, 11:00 AM ET
Aviation Engine Production At GE Aviation Czech s.r.o.
Photograph by Bloomberg via Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Big manufacturers and auto companies see a promising future using 3D-printing technology.

Carbon, a 3D-printing startup, said Thursday that it received $81 million from a group of investors, including General Electric (GE), BMW Group (BMWYY), Nikon (NINOY), and Japanese manufacturing company JSR. The new cash is actually an extension of a previous $100 million funding round led by GV (formerly Google Ventures) in August 2015.

See also: HP Inc. to Buy Samsung’s Printing Business For Over a Billion Dollars

Carbon now has $220 million in total funding. The startup declined to say its valuation, but research firm PitchBook estimates it at $1 billion.

Joseph DeSimone, the startup’s CEO, said that although the new investors were interested in financing the company last summer, Carbon’s 3D printer wasn’t ready to debut to the public. Now that Carbon had released the printer in April, DeSimone felt it was time to take the additional cash and use it to expand the company overseas, particularly in Europe and Asia.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

DeSimone explained that the new money, as well as being associated with foreign companies like Nikon and JSR, will help Carbon sell its printer and related technologies to manufacturers in places where the companies are based.

“Sixty percent of the market is overseas,” said DeSimone of the manufacturing sector. “Having these partners placed globally will allow us to move in that direction.”

Nikon senior vice president Masao Nakajima said in a statement that the company is “excited to partner with the innovative Carbon team to explore opportunities for Japanese and Asian expansion.”

See also: GitHub CEO Talks About How Microsoft and Apple Are Changing

DeSimone first showed off Carbon’s 3D printer during a 2015 TED talk that demonstrated how the printer can grow small objects out of a puddle of specialized resins using a combination of light, oxygen, and software. That technology got the attention of Ford Motor Co. (F), which is experimenting with the printer to craft prototypes of car parts, like rubber connectors that cover the wires in car doors.

BMW is currently using the 3D printer to create custom name tags that are attached to cars used for BMW’s DriveNow ride-sharing venture in Europe. DeSimone said that although BMW chose the name tags “as a simple entry point” to using Carbon’s printing technology, it plans to use it for more complex car parts in the future.

See also: Exclusive: Helen Greiner Is No Longer CEO of CyPhyWorks

“They have identified the easy parts first, and we are working to increase demand,” DeSimone said.

Carbon will have delivered 92 printers to customers by the end of 2016, and hopes to ship 500 more in 2017, he said. Carbon sells its printers on a subscription basis at a price of $40,000 per year for a minimum of three years. The company constantly improves its custom algorithms used for printing and creates additional software features that customers can download as part of their deal, DeSimone said.

For more on 3D printing, watch Fortune’s video:

Carbon plans to improve the printer to more quickly print objects, and it is exploring the option of making a bigger version for bigger printing tasks.

“We got a really exciting product roadmap that will be focused on making it more rigorous and relevant for manufacturing going forward,” DeSimone said.

Some of Carbon’s other investors include Sequoia Capital, Silver Lake Kraftwerk, Northgate Capital, Autodesk’s Spark Investment Fund, Russian entrepreneur and venture capitalist Yuri Milner, and Reinet Investments S.C.A.

About the Author
By Jonathan Vanian
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Jonathan Vanian is a former Fortune reporter. He covered business technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data privacy, and other topics.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

Jason Lemkin
Successwork-life balance
This investor won’t back startups unless staff are in the office 6 days a week: ‘Not because I don’t have empathy, because they’re going to fail’
By Preston ForeJuly 2, 2026
2 hours ago
Trump stopped talking about these media stocks, but his portfolio didn’t stop trading them
InvestingDonald Trump
Trump stopped talking about these media stocks, but his portfolio didn’t stop trading them
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 2, 2026
2 hours ago
m
CommentaryManufacturing
McKinsey chairs: Building a more resilient industrial base may require $2 trillion in investment
By Eric Kutcher and Shubham SinghalJuly 2, 2026
2 hours ago
Meta’s cloud compute reports: Why build AI data centers in a cornfield when Saudi Arabia has cheap oil and cheaper power?
Big TechMeta
Meta’s cloud compute reports: Why build AI data centers in a cornfield when Saudi Arabia has cheap oil and cheaper power?
By Catherina GioinoJuly 2, 2026
4 hours ago
Scott Bessent, US treasury secretary, during an Economic Club of New York (ECNY) event in New York, US, on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
Economynational debt
Elon Musk says AI is the only way to fix the $40 trillion U.S. debt crisis—but a new study says even the most optimistic scenario won’t fill the hole
By Eleanor PringleJuly 2, 2026
6 hours ago
A test of Anduril's Altius drone.
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Defense tech could be entering its awkward teenage years. Is the boom a bubble?
By Allie GarfinkleJuly 2, 2026
6 hours ago

Most Popular

As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
Big Tech
As Big Tech showers employees with perks to win the talent war, Nvidia built a nearly $5 trillion company by making people pay for their own lunch
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
Success
MacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year
By Sydney LakeJune 25, 2026
7 days ago
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
Trump got a $78K pension from the Screen Actors Guild in 2025 because he appeared in Home Alone 2 in 1992
Politics
Trump got a $78K pension from the Screen Actors Guild in 2025 because he appeared in Home Alone 2 in 1992
By Sasha RogelbergJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
Success
Philanthropy leader at Warren Buffett and Bill Gates’ Giving Pledge says children of billionaires are pushing them to give their wealth away faster
By Preston ForeJune 27, 2026
5 days ago
CEO of $248 billion cybersecurity company says workers are about to face a ‘Darwinian moment’ thanks to AI: Evolve or get cut
Success
CEO of $248 billion cybersecurity company says workers are about to face a ‘Darwinian moment’ thanks to AI: Evolve or get cut
By Emma BurleighJuly 1, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.