Kickstarter Canceled! What’s Next for Micronics?
While I was still struggling to get the preproduction Micronics printer I was sent to work, Micronics was acquired by Formlabs, and they’re canceling their kickstarter. Quite the turn of events!
Micronics announcement video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLaWWGCqDVY
Interview with Formlabs and Micronics CEOs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJ0UknlwLxw
Letter to backers: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/micronics3d/micron-a-desktop-sls-3d-printer/posts/4132422
Press release: Press release: https://formlabs.com/company/press/formlabs-acquires-micronics/
Formlabs, who charge extra to be able to use “any” resin.
I completely agree that having a “good exit” is a favorable outcome for any startup. Perhaps not the most preferred outcome, but still a good one nonetheless.
I have been employed by two startups, each of which was slowly fizzling away due to “funding consistently below the burn rate”. The first was acquired by a larger competitor in a stock swap, and the second merged with a peer. Both companies still exist!
I’ve also invested in two other startups, one of which crashed and burned, and the other (Aptera) is still inching toward success.
I was personally very interested in the Micronics Kickstarter, but I chose not to back the project simply because I feared the powder could interact negatively with my lifetime asthma (which is well controlled overall, but it’s sometimes a delicate balance). I was not impressed by the messes and chemicals associated with SLA, and wanted to see hobbyist SLS mature a bit before diving in. Similar concerns have kept me away from getting a personal laser cutter.
I have few hopes that Form Labs has any desire to foster a thriving home SLA ecosystem. That said, I doubt they acquired Micronics solely to eliminate a prospective competitor. My guess is Micronics needed far more time and money than the Kickstarter could provide to bring their system to market with reliability and profitability.
Being acquired by Form Labs lets them continue doing what they love, at the cost of abandoning their initial audience.