Two Days Until AM Investment Strategies 2026: What Will Industry Leaders Have to Say?

With Formnext 2026 just around the corner, the 3D printing industry has plenty to talk about. Where is demand growing? Which markets are bringing in business? And what should companies and investors be watching as the year comes to an end?

These are just some of the questions that could come up at AM Investment Strategies 2026. Our free, one-hour online roundtable takes place this Thursday, November 5, at 12 p.m. ET, bringing together four major additive manufacturing (AM) executives and two industry analysts to discuss the state of the market.

Organized by Additive Manufacturing Research (AM Research) and Cantor Fitzgerald, the sixth annual event comes at a busy time for the industry. Formnext opens in Frankfurt on November 17, and companies are already preparing to show new technologies, announce partnerships, and meet with customers. But before all that, AM Investment Strategies offers a chance to hear what some of the industry’s leading executives think about the business side of 3D printing.

What Matters Most for AM Right Now?

The industry has made plenty of progress in recent years, but growth appears different depending on where you look. Aerospace and defense remain super important markets for metal AM, while medical, dental, and consumer applications continue to create a lot of opportunities for polymer technologies. At the same time, manufacturers are under pressure to improve costs, increase production, and find more customers. For investors, the challenge is figuring out which businesses are best positioned to benefit from growing demand.

That makes the November 5 discussion especially interesting. The panel includes leaders from companies working across different parts of the market, each with its own customers, technologies, and business priorities.

Yoav Zeif, CEO of Stratasys, will bring the perspective of an established polymer AM manufacturer. Sam O’Leary, CEO of Nikon SLM Solutions, represents industrial metal printing, including large-scale systems used in aerospace and defense. Carbon CEO Phil DeSimone will add another view of polymer manufacturing, particularly in markets such as dental and consumer products. Sean Whittaker, President and CEO of Incodema3D, brings the perspective of a company producing metal 3D printed parts for customers.

The conversation will be moderated by Troy Jensen, Managing Director at Cantor Fitzgerald, with Scott Dunham, Executive Vice President of Research at AM Research, contributing the market research perspective.

Together, the panel will examine the industry’s business environment and competitive landscape. For attendees, it is an opportunity to hear how executives and analysts view the market at a time when companies are making decisions about where to invest and how to grow.

A Final Look Before Formnext

One good reason to tune in is the timing. Formnext is less than two weeks away, and the event will bring much of the global AM industry together in Frankfurt. New printers, materials, and applications will be on display, but the bigger question is what all those developments mean for the businesses behind them.

AM Investment Strategies will look at that broader business picture, giving attendees a chance to hear from company leaders and market experts just ahead of Formnext.

The webinar also serves as a lead-in to Additive Manufacturing Strategies (AMS) 2027, which returns to New York City from February 23–25 for its tenth edition. The three-day conference will bring together executives, investors, researchers, and manufacturers to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing AM.