Unreasonable Impact | Democratizing Manufacturing by 3D Printing From Trash: Q&A with re:3D
Originally posted on Unreasonable Impact, created with Barclays
Hundreds of millions of people still live in poverty without access to resources that would improve their livelihoods. Often, they have no choice but to rely on sporadic donations from aid agencies that may or may not actually address their needs.
What if every household could act as its own factory and personally manufacture exactly what it needed to thrive?
The world is not that far off from realizing this vision. Based in Austin, Texas, re:3D developed the world’s most affordable, large-scale 3D printer. Their flagship technology, the Gigabot, prints objects up to 30 times larger than competing desktop models for customers in over 50 countries around the world.
re:3D’s ultimate vision is to 3D print products from post-manufacturing trash, with the hopes of developing a more circular economy, stimulating new jobs, and unlocking new markets. Not only that, but for every 100 Gigabots delivered, re:3D donates a Gigabot to a group somewhere in the world that’s dedicated to improving their community.
Unreasonable sat down with re:3D co-founder, Samantha Snabes (who’s also a captain in the national guard and a former Social Entrepreneur in Residence at NASA) to discuss her vision that anyone, anywhere should have access to their own factory and be able to innovate on demand.
