Voxel8

Initially, Voxel8 garnered attention by launching the world's first 3D printer for electronics at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show (CES). This early model could co-print standard thermoplastics like PLA alongside a proprietary conductive silver ink, enabling the creation of objects with embedded electronic circuitry in a single process. This capability was demonstrated with a quadcopter whose body and circuits were printed in one go. The business model centered on providing a comprehensive solution, including the hardware (3D printing systems), proprietary materials (inks and elastomers), and specialized software to manage the fabrication process. Revenue was generated through direct sales of these systems and recurring income from the consumable materials and software subscriptions.

The company later pivoted to focus on the apparel and footwear industries, developing the ActiveLab Digital Fabrication System. This system utilizes ActiveMix technology, which combines extrusion and spray deposition methods to print high-performance elastomers directly onto textiles. A key feature is the ability to dynamically mix raw materials to create elastomers with varying mechanical properties on the fly. This allows for the digital fabrication of functional features on apparel and footwear, such as enhancing grip, providing targeted support and compression, or adding complex decorative designs with no tooling costs. This technology offered manufacturers significantly shorter design cycles, reduced lead times, and the ability to establish production closer to consumer markets. Voxel8's technology was adopted by major brands like Hush Puppies for creating comfort-optimized insoles. In August 2021, Voxel8 was acquired by Kornit Digital (NASDAQ: KRNT), a leader in digital textile production, to integrate Voxel8's 3D print-on-part capabilities into its portfolio, aiming to accelerate the digitization of on-demand, sustainable textile manufacturing.