Inside 3D Printing Startup Competition: Details Announced for Santa Clara 2015

If there’s one thing I’ve never had any skill for, it’s hiding excitement. In an age where enthusiasm is often met with a too-cool-for-school attitude, this can sometimes be troublesome, but I’d rather approach more days and events like a kid coming downstairs on Christmas morning. The more time I spend writing and reading about the maker space, the more at home I feel: this is an arena filled with enthusiastic, driven individuals. And next month in Santa Clara, thousands of these enthusiastic folk will be coming together at MecklerMedia’s Inside 3D Printing conference. For once, I can feel the certainty of knowing I’m not alone in my excitement as I tick off my calendar countdown to the event.

And now there’s even more to look forward to, as today, September 28, MecklerMedia has unveiled their plans for the latest 3D Printing Startup Competition. Last month we heard some details, but today we get a fuller picture of what’s to come.

The 3D Printing Startup Competition has become the world’s largest such contest, and has raised more than $8 million of funding. Previous winners of the competition have certainly gone on to achieve notable success. With the competition first landing on the Inside 3D Printing agenda in New York in 2014, winners so far include 3D Hubs, Wiivv Wearables, and Osiris Biomedical. These businesses have all certainly gone beyond simple hopes-and-dreams startups, each growing incredibly to establish themselves in the industry.

The most recent winner, Osiris, was announced in April at Inside 3D Printing New York, with a business model to bring one-step surgery for 3D printed implants. At last year’s conference in Santa Clara, Wiivv Wearables took home the prize. The inaugural award went to 3D Hubs in New York 2014, and as of the time of writing that company has grown to connect an incredible 22,599 printers in its global network.

At this year’s Santa Clara event, the competition will take place 11:45 AM – 12.30 PM on October 22nd, with access free for pre-registered attendees, and open to all registrants. The competition will feature “presentations from companies that are pushing the frontiers of 3D printing and expanding the industry.”

Asimov Ventures, a venture capital firm launched last month, will partner with Inside 3D Printing for the competition, leading to high stakes this year; as the press release announcing details notes:

“The competition features presentations from companies that are pushing the frontiers of 3D printing and expanding the industry. The selected companies cover an array of offerings from services to equipment to medical applications. This year’s winner will be awarded a $15,000 uncapped convertible note, courtesy of leading early-stage technology venture capital firm and Inside 3D Printing Santa Clara Startup Competition Sponsor, Asimov Ventures.”

Five to ten startups will go head to head in seeking to take home top honors. As can be seen from the diversity of business plans from previous winners, participants’ business plans will range across a variety of 3D printing-related areas. Services, equipment, and medical applications will be among the areas represented on October 22nd.

Those looking to participate in the competition are able to submit your pitch deck here or reach out to participate as a sponsor here.

Announced along with details on the startup competition is another contest that will debut at Inside 3D Printing. In a partnership with digital art pioneer Laurence Gartel, the Creative Force Design Competition will allow participants “the opportunity to download and print a 3D file created by Gartel, and alter and adjust the file to create a unique work of art.” We’ll be presenting more information on this creative challenge in the near future, so stay tuned!

Inside 3D Printing will be in Santa Clara October 20-22, and registration prices will increase September 30th. Remember that 3DPrint.com readers can save 20% on registration using the discount code 3DPRINT.  Let us know if you intend to participate in this conference in the Inside 3D Printing Forum thread on 3DPB.com.