Snapmaker, a Chinese manufacturer of desktop digital fabrication tools founded in 2016, has set a new record on Kickstarter. Its latest campaign for the U1 3D printer raised US$20,161,265 from 20,206 backers worldwide as of September 30, making it the most funded 3D printer project in the platform’s history. The company is continuing to offer a late pledge option priced at US$849 through Kickstarter.
Development of the U1 was shaped by a large-scale beta testing program. Early adopters received access to the machine before launch and shared feedback that informed refinements to the printer. Testers also presented the U1 at public events including Maker Faire Hannover and PrintedHub in Germany, and 3DPrintopia in the United States, where potential backers were able to evaluate the printer firsthand.
Open communication was another defining feature of the campaign. The company published frequent updates and ran livestreams to document progress. Dedicated channels on Discord and Facebook allowed users to ask questions, while detailed documentation provided further transparency. Behind-the-scenes coverage of factory production was also released, giving supporters visibility into the manufacturing process.
The campaign’s reach was further extended through partnerships with other maker-focused companies. KIRI Engine, a mobile 3D scanning application, offered a free one-month trial to all backers. HueForge, known for color-mapped lithophane workflows, provided discount coupons, while Polymaker became the first third-party filament supplier to receive officially supported profiles on the U1. After passing the US$20 million milestone, Snapmaker unlocked stretch goals that granted every backer additional coupons for HueForge and the Snapmaker Store.
The U1 itself introduces a tool-changing, four-head system based on Snapmaker’s SnapSwap design. This mechanism allows tool swaps in five seconds without the filament purging normally required in multi-material printing. According to the company, the printer achieves up to five times faster performance and 80 percent less waste than conventional filament-change methods. Built on a CoreXY motion platform, the U1 supports accelerations of up to 20,000 mm/s². Other hardware specifications include improved multi-material handling, hotends capable of reaching 300°C, a heated build plate, integrated camera monitoring, and wireless connectivity. The system is powered by Snapmaker Orca, OrcaSlicer, and Klipper software.
The firm has already delivered two major Kickstarter projects to more than 25,000 backers. With the U1 campaign now established as the largest of its kind in 3D printing, the company extends its record of using crowdfunding to scale production and engage directly with the maker community
Kickstarter campaigns continue to shape AM
Crowdfunding has played a key role in making advanced fabrication technologies more accessible. Revopoint, a 3D scanner manufacturer, recently launched the Trackit optical tracking system on Kickstarter, raising support for a marker-free approach to high-precision scanning. The Trackit integrates dual blue laser capture modes, a repositionable base station, and automated calibration, enabling professionals to capture complex geometries without relying on scanning spray or physical markers. Beta testers reported reduced scanning time and improved accuracy, underscoring how crowdfunding can help accelerate adoption of industrial-grade tools at lower cost.
Continuous fibre 3D printing has also entered the crowdfunding space. FibreSeeker, a desktop 3D printer manufacturer founded by the original team behind composite specialist Anisoprint, launched its FibreSeeker 3 system on Kickstarter at a price of US$2,699. The printer uses a patented Continuous Fibre Co-Extrusion (CFC) process to embed continuous fibre strands within thermoplastic parts, producing components with tensile strengths of up to 900 MPa—over twice that of 6061 aluminum. The system features a dual-extruder architecture for combining fibre reinforcement with standard filaments, three operating modes tailored to speed or strength, and AI-powered monitoring through its Aura slicer software.
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Featured image shows Snapmaker’s U1 campaign became the most funded 3D printer project in Kickstarter history, raising over US$20 million from more than 20,000 backers worldwide. Image via Snapmaker.
