Formlabs: Selling a New 3D Printer

Frank  Cespedes

Teaching Note | HBS Case Collection | April 2018

Formlabs: Selling a New 3D Printer

Abstract

Teaching Note for HBS No. 817-001. Formlabs is a venture that manufactures and sells 3D printers used in a variety of industries and applications. As the young company prepares to ship its latest model, the head of Customer Development is tasked with developing a marketing and distribution strategy that will double sales in the next year. The case issues highlighted in the teaching note include examining and analyzing a) the go-to-market options and trade-offs available to entrepreneurs in a category where product quality is rapidly increasing and price decreasing; b) a representative evolution of go-to-market approaches in early-stage ventures; and c) new product introductions in a context where the venture faces past product-quality issues and going-forward growth and valuation goals.

Keywords: 3D printing and manufacturing; sales channel development; Sales strategy; entrepreneurial management; product engineering; prototype; prototyping; Entrepreneurship; Product Launch; Hardware; Business Startups; Customers; Technological Innovation; Growth and Development Strategy; Technology Adoption; Marketing Channels; Marketing Strategy; Product Positioning; Demand and Consumers; Sales; Salesforce Management; Technology Industry; Computer Industry; Manufacturing Industry; United States; Massachusetts; Europe; Asia;

Language: English

Format: Print

18 pages

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Citation:

Cespedes, Frank. "Formlabs: Selling a New 3D Printer." Harvard Business School Teaching Note 818-127, April 2018.

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Formlabs: Selling a New 3D Printer

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