The 3D Printing Industry Awards return for 2026, celebrating excellence, innovation, and real-world impact across additive manufacturing. Now in their ninth year, the Awards remain the only fully open, publicly nominated and voted celebration of the people, companies, and technologies shaping the future of 3D printing.
Among the most anticipated categories each year is Start-Up of the Year, recognising the emerging companies redefining how additive manufacturing is applied, commercialised, and scaled.
Celebrating the next generation of additive manufacturing innovators
From new materials and AI-driven software to advanced process monitoring and distributed production, the start-up ecosystem continues to drive some of the industry’s most important breakthroughs. The 3D Printing Industry Awards provide a global platform to highlight these contributions and connect founders with potential customers, investors, and partners.
The Start-Up of the Year category is open to any company founded within the past five years that is developing technologies, products, or services within the additive manufacturing value chain. This includes hardware, software, materials, design tools, or application-focused ventures in sectors such as aerospace, medical, energy, automotive, or consumer goods.
There is no entry fee.
Companies are invited to nominate themselves using the form linked here.
What we’re looking for
The judging panel and wider community will evaluate entrants based on:
Innovation: Originality of the technology or approach.
Impact: Measurable improvement in performance, cost, sustainability, or accessibility.
Scalability: Market potential, partnerships, or commercial traction.
Vision: The team’s long-term contribution to advancing additive manufacturing.
How to enter
Start-ups can submit their nomination through a short online form designed to capture key details about the team, technology, milestones, and vision. Supporting materials such as a pitch deck are encouraged.
Nominations are open from 12 November 2025 to 31 December 2025.
The shortlist will be announced in February 2026, followed by a public voting period that will run through March.
Why participate
Past winners and nominees have gone on to secure investment, major partnerships, and international visibility. As the additive landscape matures, this category offers an important stage for start-ups to share their work with the industry’s largest and most engaged audience.
All start-ups that reach the shortlist will be offered a profile article on 3DPI.
If your company is pioneering the next wave of additive innovation, from new alloys and bioprinting materials to generative design software or industrial automation tools, this is your opportunity to showcase it.
