Strategic Impact Analysis of Bambu Lab's 'Let's Make It' Creation Fund

On December 15, 2024, Bambu Lab announced the launch of the ‘Let’s Make It’ Creation Fund, a long-term support program for global makers with a maximum grant of 1 million RMB per project. The fund is open to independent individuals and small studios, providing triple support in capital, technology, and resources [1].

This initiative marks Bambu Lab’s strategic transition from a pure hardware manufacturer to an ecosystem builder, reflecting its deep insight into the development trends of the 3D printing industry.

Bambu Lab has long recognized the importance of the ‘3M Strategy’: the positive cycle of Machine (equipment), Model (models), and Material (materials) [3]. Through the establishment of the open-source model platform MakerWorld, Bambu has already built a preliminary content ecosystem foundation. The launch of the Creation Fund will further strengthen this ecosystem:

• Content supply-side incentives
  : Supporting makers through funding to increase the supply of high-quality models
• User stickiness enhancement
  : High-quality content attracts more users, forming network effects
• Data advantage accumulation
  : Obtaining cutting-edge industry data and technical insights through funded projects

The biggest challenge facing the 3D printing industry currently is talent scarcity [2]. Bambu founder Tao Ye once mentioned that DJI added ‘special clauses targeting Bambu’ in agreements when investing in other 3D printing companies, reflecting the intensity of talent competition [2].

The Creation Fund is actually an indirect talent strategy:

• Locking in future talent in advance by supporting promising makers
• Building industry influence to attract top talent
• Forming a positive cycle of talent flow

Fund-supported projects are likely to become frontiers of technological innovation, providing Bambu with:

• Early insights into emerging application scenarios
• An early warning system for technological trends
• A screening pool for potential acquisition targets

According to market data, the global 3D printing market size reached $24.6 billion in 2024, with consumer-grade accounting for $4.1 billion and a compound annual growth rate of 28% [3]. The Creation Fund will promote market expansion through:

• Reduction of technical thresholds
  : Funded projects usually solve specific technical problems, and their results can benefit the entire industry
• Expansion of application scenarios
  : Supporting innovative business models and application scenarios
• Expansion of user groups
  : More successful cases attract new users to enter the 3D printing field

As the global leader in desktop 3D printer sales (annual revenue of approximately 6 billion RMB, with a market share of nearly 30%) [3], Bambu Lab is essentially setting industry standards and directions through the Creation Fund:

• Guidance on technical routes
  : The selection criteria for funded projects reflect the direction of technological development
• Innovation in application models
  : Successful cases become objects of industry emulation
• Ecosystem construction
  : Forming an industrial ecosystem centered on Bambu

In the global entry-level 3D printer market, Chinese manufacturers have already occupied a dominant position. According to CONTEXT reports, four Shenzhen manufacturers—Creality, Bambu Lab, Anycubic, and Elegoo—account for over 90% of global shipments [2].

The launch of the Creation Fund will further consolidate the advantages of Chinese enterprises:

• Agglomeration of innovative resources
  : Global maker resources tilt toward Chinese manufacturers
• Technical leading advantages
  : Maintaining technical leadership through funding
• Ecosystem barrier construction
  : Forming an irreplicable ecosystem

Transitioning from pure hardware sales to an integrated platform of ‘hardware + content + services’, the Creation Fund is an important pivot of this strategy. This model is similar to Apple’s App Store ecosystem, maximizing value through an open platform.

Although a large amount of capital is needed in the short term, in the long run:

• Increasing switching costs
  : Users are deeply bound to the Bambu ecosystem
• Enhancing bargaining power
  : Occupying a more favorable position in the value chain
• Creating data assets
  : Accumulating valuable data resources

As a unicorn enterprise with a valuation exceeding 30 billion RMB [3], Bambu Lab demonstrates the sense of responsibility of an industry leader through the Creation Fund, while also consolidating its market leadership position.

The 1 million RMB per-project funding standard is relatively high, requiring the establishment of effective project screening and evaluation mechanisms to ensure capital efficiency.

While supporting an open ecosystem, it is necessary to balance openness and commercial interests to avoid excessive control affecting innovation vitality.

A fund targeting global makers requires cross-cultural management capabilities and the ability to deal with the complexity of laws and regulations in different regions.

Bambu Lab’s ‘Let’s Make It’ Creation Fund is an initiative with far-reaching strategic significance. It is not only a reflection of corporate social responsibility but also a key layout for building long-term competitive advantages. By supporting the maker ecosystem, Bambu Lab is transitioning from a hardware manufacturer to a platform ecosystem operator, which will provide strong support for its maintenance of leadership in the rapidly growing 3D printing market.

From an industry perspective, this initiative will further consolidate the dominant position of Chinese enterprises in the global 3D printing market and promote the entire industry to move toward a more open and innovative direction. With the continuous improvement of the ecosystem, 3D printing technology is expected to truly transform from a ‘geek toy’ into a popular creation tool, opening a new era of manufacturing.

[1] 36Kr - “The 89-born Quanzhou guy selling 3D printers: raising hundreds of millions in funding, and breaking global records”
[2] 21st Century Business Herald - “How did Shenzhen become the ‘world’s first city for consumer-grade 3D printing’?”
[3] NetEase News - “Annual revenue exceeding 6 billion RMB: Will it become the DJI of the 3D printing field?”