3D printing doll specialist secures $1.4 million in funding.
One of the investors which helped raise $1.4 million in funding for MakieLab has said the toy trade is “ripe for disruption”.
The company received the funding from a seed round led by early-stage investors Lifeline Ventures and Sunstone Capital. “The toy industry is ripe for disruption and 3D printing opens up for a powerful blend of digital and physical,“ said Petteri Koponen, Partner at Lifeline Ventures, as reported by Develop.
"We’re thrilled to support Alice, Jo, Sulka, Luke and team in London and Helsinki in their venture to define a new toys company.”
Anime and gaming industry veterans Matthew Wiggins, Daniel James and Cedric Littardi of superangel-fund Ynnis Ventures also joined the funding round.
MakieLab allows users to design dolls online. The designs are then made physical via 3D printing, and can be sent out to paying customers.
Alice Taylor, founder and CEO of MakieLab, and formerly of Channel 4, added: “We’ve seen amazing levels of creativity from our customers since letting the first few in during open alpha just a few weeks ago.“We’re now hard at work to enable further customisation of Makies, more creativity, and to expand to include digital and physical gaming.”
MakieLab has sold out the first limited run of 100 Makies. Current owners are being encouraged to ‘hack’ their dolls if they wish.
(via MakieLab investor: The toy trade is ripe for disruption | Toy Industry | News by ToyNews)