Welcome to Printing Money Episode 40. Matthias Schmidt-Lehr (AMPOWER, Executive Partner) joins Danny for this episode and we are very thankful to have him back.
In Episode 40, Danny and Matthias approach markets and deals largely with AI in mind. AI is a huge enabler for the 3DP/AM industry, but in different ways for different parts of the industry.
First, Danny and Matthias discuss the desktop 3DP/AM market with respect to industrial users and of course also with respect to AI. Then the discussion shifts upstream to industrial 3DP/AM applications of AI. Along the way, there are some very topical 3DP/AM deals and financings to reference.
Finally, Danny and Matthias manage to exhaust the limits of AI, with respect to 3DP/AM deals anyway. So, they dive in for a few laps of more general deal analysis.
Throughout this episode there are a lot of reference to past deals and episodes. Historical references are made to Backflip, Axial3D, Euler, Interspectral, Freeform, Seurat, VulcanForms, Alloy Enterprises, Metal Powder Works, 6K Additive, and more.
We mentioned Matthias’ past appearance on Printing Money, but also a heads up to stay tuned for some more great AMPOWER content coming to 3DPrint.com soon.
Please enjoy Episode 40 and check out our previous episodes too.
This episode was recorded July 14, 2026.
Timestamps:
00:13 – Welcome to Episode 40, and welcome back to Matthias Schmidt-Lehr, AMPOWER
01:34 – Insights on AI and what it means for 3DP/AM
07:28 – Analyzing the desktop 3DP/AM market and its relevance to industrial users
09:24 – Meshy.ai raises $50m for AI 3D model generation (BAI Capital invested)
13:37 – Hi3D.ai raises undisclosed seed round for AI 3D maker creation (BAI Capital invested again)
17:07 – AI is already an enabler for the desktop consumer 3DP/AM market
19:54 – Replasia receives minority investment from Materialise and Andy Christenson for 3DP medical devices
24:54 – AI for industrial 3DP/AM
29:22 – Phase3D raises $2.9M for in-situ monitoring
33:45 – FreeForm, Seurat, VulcanForms, and scaling metal LPBF
37:39 – Limitless Labs raises $20M for agentic CAD
40:09 – TDK acquiring Fabric8Labs for $400M+ for AI infrastructure
44:12 – Sandvik exits 3D printing business to carve-out firm Mimir
48:55 – Spectrum Filaments receives investment from Blue Gravity Capital
49:45 – HeyGears raises approximately $44M for desktop 3D printing
51:45 – Rem3dy/Nourished raises GBP 14M for 3D printed nutrition gummies
53:07 – …and Curify Labs raises $14M for 3d printed medicine
54:29 – Fabri raises $13.5M to create digital foundry from Raytheon, Lockheed Martin
55:49 – Foundation Alloy raises $22M for metal powders
57:22 – Thanks again to Matthias for joining, thanks to you for listening, and hold on to your seats for the AI wave!
59:03 – Disclaimer
Disclaimer:
This content is for informational purposes only, you should not construe any such information or other material as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. Nothing stated on this podcast constitutes a solicitation, recommendation, endorsement, or offer by the hosts, the organizer or any third-party service provider to buy or sell any securities or other financial instruments in this or in any other jurisdiction in which such solicitation or offer would be unlawful under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. The information on this podcast is of a general nature that does not address the circumstances and risk profile of any individual or entity and should not constitute professional and/or financial advice. Referenced transactions are sourced from publicly available information.
Danny Piper is a registered representative of Finalis Securities LLC, member FINRA/SIPC. This material has been prepared for information and educational purposes only, and it is not intended to provide, nor should it be relied on for tax, legal, or investment advice. Investors should consult with their own tax, legal, and financial professionals before investing. Real estate investments are generally highly risky. They can be volatile, unpredictable, illiquid, and are subject to ebbs and flows and market shifts. Investors also risk the loss of all principal investments.