Formlabs Is in Early Talks for a $500 Million IPO

SoftBank-backed maker eyes public markets

Formlabs, the Massachusetts-based 3D printing company best known for its SLA and SLS machines, is in early discussions with advisers about an initial public offering, according to a Bloomberg report. The people familiar with the matter say the company could raise roughly $500 million in the offering.

SoftBank owns a significant stake in Formlabs, and the IPO would come after years of private funding that supported global expansion and a broader product lineup. Formlabs has grown from a desktop SLA startup into a company serving dental, medical, engineering, and manufacturing customers with printers ranging from the low-cost Form 2 to industrial SLS systems.

What the timing means

The report follows the appointment of Rob Willett, former chief of Cognex, to Formlabs' board earlier this year. That move was widely seen as a signal that the company was preparing for life as a public firm. Willett's experience with Nasdaq-listed industrial technology companies gives Formlabs a direct line to the governance and reporting standards public markets demand.

Formlabs has not commented publicly on the IPO speculation. The company last reported record Q3 2026 results, with growth across hardware, services, and its newer SLS platforms. That momentum gives prospective underwriters a recent growth narrative to present to investors.

Where it fits in the market

A Formlabs IPO would arrive amid a broader reopening of the tech listings window. Chinese competitors like Creality and Bambu Lab have already gone public or expanded aggressively, while larger industrial names like 3D Systems and Stratasys have restructured or partnered with defense programs. Formlabs occupies a middle ground: consumer-friendly branding with serious industrial revenue.

If the offering proceeds, Formlabs would join a short list of pure-play 3D printing companies on public markets. The $500 million target would make it one of the larger 3D printing IPOs in recent years, and the SoftBank backing provides a ready narrative for institutional investors looking for manufacturing exposure.