505In September 2021, a "digital riot" broke out on the US crowdfunding platform Kickstarter:
A 12.8-inch 3D printer named "Jupiter" raised $3.2 million in pre-sale funds within less than 48 hours of its launch, and the final crowdfunding amount soared to $4.74 million (about 34.51 million RMB), directly breaking the global crowdfunding record for 3D printers.
Image source: Kickstarter
This "Jupiter" printer comes from the Shenzhen-based brand ELEGOO.
From a small workshop selling circuit board kits to an industry dark horse with annual sales of 1.2 billion yuan.
Its story is even more magical than a 3D-printed Transformer.
Image source: Kickstarter
Hardcore Transformation After Leaving a State-Owned Enterprise
ELEGOO's founders, Chen Bo and Hong Yingsheng, were originally "iron rice bowl" employees at China Post Group.
In 2013, these two classmates from the Marketing Department of Jinan University participated in a cross-border e-commerce project. The project failed, but they unexpectedly discovered a business opportunity: foreigners had an astonishing demand for Chinese electronic components.
In 2015, they resigned and founded SmartPi Technology, sourcing resistors and sensors from Shenzhen Huaqiangbei, packaging them into STEM education kits and selling them overseas. With a 300% profit margin, they quickly reached the top of their category on Amazon.
Other related products on Amazon
But the good times didn’t last. By 2018, the STEM market was saturated and performance stagnated.
The team argued for three days in their office in a Shenzhen urban village, and finally decided to switch to making 3D printers.
At that time, domestic manufacturers were all making industrial-grade equipment, and the consumer market was monopolized by European and American brands.
But Chen Bo did the math: "An imported photopolymerization machine sells for $3,000, but the Chinese supply chain can cut the cost down to a third."
From then on, ELEGOO started low and rose high, gradually gaining a foothold in the 3D printer field.
SmartPi photopolymerization printer Image source: Internet
Three Key Transformations: From "Circuit Board Dealer" to Tech Butcher
ELEGOO's growth path was not smooth sailing, but rather went through several key strategic transformations:
In 2019, ELEGOO launched its first consumer-grade photopolymerization printer, Mars, priced at $299, yet achieving 2K printing precision. Someone posted on a US geek forum: "Did the Chinese shrink down an industrial machine?" Users then tested and printed a ring mold with 0.05mm precision, directly refuting the doubts.
ELEGOO Mars series products Image source: Amazon
In 2020, ELEGOO released the world's first 4K printer under $500, Saturn, and its official website pre-sale sales exceeded ten million yuan in one minute. This printer not only met dentists' needs for printing temporary crowns, but also allowed figurine enthusiasts to replicate highly detailed models, quickly winning widespread praise.
ELEGOO Saturn 4K sold out on the official website
In 2021, ELEGOO's 12.8-inch 6K printer "Jupiter" landed on Kickstarter, raising $3.2 million in 48 hours.
Some of the communities participating in crowdfunding Image source: Kickstarter
By 2024, ELEGOO's annual sales reached 1.2 billion yuan, with North American and European markets taking the lion's share. If you search "3D printer" on Amazon, you will always see their blue logo among the top five.
Image source: Internet
Independent Website + TikTok: The Geek Traffic Code
ELEGOO's overseas explosion relied on two "killer moves": building a community on its independent website and showcasing hardcore content on TikTok.
On its independent website, ELEGOO's site design resembles a tech product library, with each product featuring 3D models, parameter comparisons, and user work displays. This content allows users with needs to instantly see what they want and find inspiration through others' creations.
ELEGOO independent website
The most impressive part is the community section, where someone uploads a tutorial for making a Lord of the Rings ring mold, and others share how to use waste resin to make a phone stand.
Through this "user co-creation" model, ELEGOO not only strengthens user engagement but also effectively boosts organic traffic. People come not just to browse, but are willing to interact and share on the platform, eventually converting into loyal users who purchase and use the products long-term.
ELEGOO's previous Valentine's Day event Image source: ELEGOO independent website
TikTok is ELEGOO's other killer move. Its official account (@elegoo3dofficial) currently has 177,900 followers and over 1.3 million likes. Although not top-tier, it has successfully attracted a large number of geek fans with a series of ultra-hardcore 3D printing videos.
Image source: TikTok
For example, a video with 3.1 million views showcases a cute little figure in red made using 3D printing technology, receiving 75,800 likes and sparking user discussion and sharing.
Image source: TikTok
In terms of content, ELEGOO's videos are very "straightforward," mainly showing how their 3D printing products print interesting or practical gadgets. This type of content suits users interested in 3D printing and who like hands-on activities. Although the content isn't flashy, it's authentic and down-to-earth, attracting those who want to learn about and try 3D printing.
Image source: TikTok
The Secret Behind 27.3 Billion Views
In fact, 3D printing has become a major traffic code on TikTok.
Search #3dprinting and you'll see 2 million related works. The total views reach 27.3 billion, with nearly 590 million likes.
Image source: TikTok
Another hashtag, #3dprint, also has 556,600 videos, 9 billion views, and 367 million likes.
Image source: TikTok
What do these numbers mean?
It's equivalent to every person in the world watching 3D printing videos three times, and the number of likes exceeds Starbucks' global daily coffee sales.
The hottest video formula is just three words: satisfying, fast, flashy.
For example, using a photopolymerization machine to print toy figurines, the flow of resin is as mesmerizing as ASMR; or an FDM printer stacking layers to build architectural models, which is extremely satisfying for those with OCD.
Image source: TikTok
Why Did 3D Printing Suddenly Become Popular?
The explosion of 3D printing is essentially a victory for the democratization of technology:
According to Grand View Research, the global 3D printing market size reached $20.37 billion in 2023, and is expected to surge at a rate of 23.5% over the next six years.
Image source: Grand View Research
There are three major driving forces behind this: halved prices (from 200,000 yuan per unit to $299), material revolution (photopolymer resin strength doubled and cost halved), and the creator economy (TikTok creators earn $50,000 a month selling print files).
More importantly, industry demand is exploding: the medical field prints medical models, car manufacturers do rapid prototyping, and even architecture students use it for graduation projects. 3D printing has become an unstoppable trend.
Image source: Internet
Let Every Family Achieve "Freedom to Create"
Today in ELEGOO's workshop, a printer rolls off the assembly line every 90 seconds.
Some employees joke: "What we sell isn't machines, it's 'freedom to create.'"
This freedom is becoming reality: in New York, someone prints a statue of their late dog; in Berlin, artists hold 3D-printed wearable mechanical exhibitions; in Shenzhen, high school students win innovation awards by printing robot parts.
Image source: Internet
But challenges keep emerging. As more and more companies enter the market, competition is becoming increasingly fierce.
But ELEGOO's engineers are confident:
"We once leveraged supply chain advantages to cut the cost of 4K screens to a third, and now we can drive the price of 6K machines even lower."
Perhaps this is the fate of Chinese manufacturing: there is no eternal moat, only ever-collapsing cost barriers.
As 3D printers enter millions of households, no one knows what miracle will be "printed" next.
