3D printer manufacturer BCN3D has filed for voluntary bankruptcy, according to official court documents seen by 3D Printing Industry. First reported last week by Spanish digital outlet Crónica Global, the Spanish OEM has reportedly entered proceedings after failing to negotiate a restructuring of its outstanding debts with creditor banks last year.
Barcelona’s Commercial Court No. 3 is processing BCN3D’s bankruptcy case. Luis Jiménez-Asenjo Sotomayor has been appointed as the insolvency administrator by GS Insolvency Management.
BCN3D offers a portfolio of industrial Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printers, including its flagship Omega I60 IDEX and Epsilon Series offerings. According to the report, annual revenues from 3D printer sales have stagnated at around €5 million, while losses since its 2018 formation have reached -€10 million.
According to a source familiar with the matter, BCN3D has received a binding offer from a third party to purchase all of the company’s assets. The proposal, now under review through formal legal proceedings, includes plans to continue BCN3D’s operations and retain its entire workforce. The source confirmed that the company remains operational and intends to stay that way throughout the bankruptcy proceedings.
BCN3D files for bankruptcy
Based in Gavà, Barcelona, BCN3D funds its operations through a combination of private and public sources. Since its founding, it has raised €10 million from investors, including CDTI, Mondragón, Yaba, JME Ventures, Accurafy4, Danobat Group, and Victoria Venture.
The company’s backers reportedly injected €1.3 million in cash in 2019, €4.2 million in 2020, and €5 million in 2022. €7 million has also been raised in public subsidies and grants from the Spanish Government and Catalonian Generalitat.
BCN3D raised its most recent capital in November 2024 during what it described as a “pivotal investment round” backed by established Spanish firms from traditional industrial sectors. This capital injection sought to accelerate growth in the light industrial additive manufacturing sector and coincided with the company’s relocation to a new European production facility. Its new site was designed to scale operations and strengthen quality control.
At the time, BCN3D’s CEO, Xavi M. Faneca, commented that the funding “marks a bold commitment to our future and signals our readiness to take the lead in the light industrial market.” However, just six months later, the future of BCN3D is uncertain. BCN3D’s current assets are said to be around €10 million, while liabilities are reported at €7 million. Despite the apparent asset-liability surplus, sources suggest a lack of short-term liquidity and unresolved creditor negotiations forced the filing.
3D printing companies face financial challenges
BCN3D is the latest 3D printer manufacturer to face financial hardship. Earlier this year, Massachusetts-based 3D printer manufacturer Desktop Metal initiated a strategic review following its acquisition by Nano Dimension. The move seeks to address the company’s financial liabilities and liquidity challenges, including $115 million in outstanding convertible notes issued before the acquisition.
This followed a period of financial challenges, during which CEO Ric Fulop warned that failing to secure an acquisition by Nano Dimension would amount to a “fatal prognosis” for the company. As part of the review, the binder jet 3D printer specialist appointed Robert Warshauer to its Board of Directors (BoD). It also brought on investment bank Piper Sandler & Co. and business consultancy firm FTI Consulting as financial advisers.
Elsewhere, it was revealed by 3D Printing Industry in November 2024 that the German 3D printing materials company Forward AM filed for insolvency. Filed in the Heidelberg District Court on November 21st, 2024, the insolvency followed Forward AM’s leadership carve-out from BASF. In an update released last week, it was announced that leading 3D printer manufacturer Stratasys acquired Forward AM’s assets. The materials company will now operate as an independent materials brand under a new legal name within Stratasys.
Also in November 2024, 3D printing materials manufacturer KIMYA announced it would cease filament production and exit the 3D printing market, ending sales of its high-performance FDM materials. A former subsidiary of the ARMOR Group, KIMYA had received €15 million in investment since its launch in 2017. Writing on LinkedIn, Hubert de Boisredon, President and Director General of the ARMOR Group, attributed the decision to weak growth in the industrial market and the “economic crisis,” which resulted in a fall in 3D printer sales.
Addressing the Supernova rumors
In 2024, Supernova carved out BCN3D’s Viscous Lithography Manufacturing (VLM) business unit to create a new company that is separate from BCN3D. Following speculation on social media, Supernova has issued a statement refuting any financial difficulties or links to BCN3D’s recent bankruptcy proceedings. “Supernova is a completely independent company,” said CBO and co-founder Marta Mico. “These claims are entirely unfounded.”
Speaking to 3D Printing Industry, Mico directly addressed other social media rumors. She refuted claims that Supernova has been forced into redundancies amid financial challenges. The company itself remains small, with a team of four leading defense applications in Austin and around 15 at Supernova’s Barcelona facility.
According to the co-founder, as a young startup, Supernova faces typical hiring challenges and expects a lot from new employees. “Working at Supernova is not for everyone; it’s a difficult place to be,” Mico admitted. She emphasized that the first month is critical, and some new hires don’t meet the company’s expectations. “If it doesn’t work out, we prefer to fire fast rather than keep someone who isn’t delivering the value we need,” she said. Such statements can be seen to reflect a common high-performance culture among early-stage deep tech ventures rather than financial distress. Claims that a key partner has exited Supernova were also denied. “I have no idea what that’s about,” said Mico.
She also dismissed suggestions that Supernova is struggling to commercialize its VLM products. “The product hasn’t been commercialized yet, as planned, so claiming we’re facing commercial issues is simply inaccurate,” she explained. Mico added that Supernova has reached the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) stage and is now focused on industrialization. This effort, she noted, “will take some time,” with shipping expected to begin in 2026.
Regarding runway, Mico declined to comment on Supernova’s fundraising activities and did not indicate that the claims regarding trouble in this area are accurate. “I’m not sharing anything on fundraising,” she said. “We’ve never disclosed our funding sources, and we don’t intend to confirm anything now.”
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Featured image shows BCN3D’s Headquarters. Photo via BCN3D.
