UltiMaker
UltiMaker has announced it is pledging half a million dollars’ worth of 3D printing resources to education programmes across North and South America.
Launching its MakerBot Gives Back initiative, the desktop 3D printing brand said it will offer $500,000 in hardware, materials and learning resources to educators, students, schools, and STEM organisations, prioritising underserved communities, low-income schools, and students who have historically lacked access to educational technology. It also says it will introduce a range of grants and programmes throughout 2025 to help provide opportunities and prepare students for future careers in engineering and manufacturing.
“As we continue to see new technologies emerge, future generations will have to develop skills that will allow them to adapt to changing environments. We believe that all students should have equitable access to technologies that will enable their success in and out of the classroom,” said Andrea Zermeño, Manager - MakerBot Education at UltiMaker. “For nearly 15 years, we have worked closely with educators to shape and refine our 3D printers and resources so that they fit the needs of the teacher and the classroom. Through our new initiative, we are expanding access to 3D printing resources to more educators and students to help them take classroom learning to the next level.”
Alongside in-kind donations, additional proposals include MakerBot Education Grants designed to support educators, schools, and districts that demonstrate a strong vision for integrating 3D printing for hands-on learning. Recipients will be able to apply for resources to implement 3D printing in education including MakerBot Sketch Sprint 3D printers, certification and training, professional development opportunities and consumables. Applications for the grant program will open early Spring 2025.
UltiMaker is also introducing a MakerBot Scholarship for Future Innovators, which will see MakerBot partnering with educational institutions and STEM organisations, the first of which will be on the MakerBot Scholarship, a new program that provides financial assistance to students pursuing careers in engineering, manufacturing, and additive manufacturing.
In 2022, Ultimaker and MakerBot brands came together in one of the biggest additive manufacturing mergers of that year. Its MakerBot products underwent a relaunch at the end of 2023 as an education-focused arm, which saw the launch of its latest MarkerBot Sketch Sprint, promising a 'new standard for speed, safety and accessibility' last November.
