en.Wedoany.com Reported - Shenzhen-based 3D printer and maker hardware manufacturer Snapmaker has announced the establishment of the Snapmaker Innovation Fund, totaling $150,000, aimed at supporting community development for the U1 3D printer and funding software, hardware, and workflow projects. This fund is the company's first community-oriented grant program, with the open competition accepting submissions starting June 9, 2026.
The fund is divided into two tracks. The $50,000 Founding Sponsorship Track involves developers pre-selected by the company to support their work in shaping the U1 software environment over the next 12 months, covering projects such as Moonraker, OrcaSlicer, Klipper, Fluidd, Full Spectrum, and Surface Color Stitch. This track is not open for public applications. The other $100,000 Open Competition is open to global developers or U1 users, divided into two three-month phases, each with $50,000.
Blayne Sapelli, Global Public Relations Director at Snapmaker, stated that the U1 does not exist in isolation; it is built on years of community development. Establishing the fund is a way to express gratitude and sustain this momentum. Give back to the community and build forward together.
The first phase of the Open Competition runs from June 9, 2026, to September 7, 2026, with winners announced on September 30; the second phase runs from October 1, 2026, to December 31, 2026, with winners announced on January 22, 2027. Each phase selects 20 participants, divided into three tiers: three U1 Pioneer awards at $5,000 each, seven Eco-Enhancer awards at $3,000 each, and ten Active Builder awards at $1,500 each. All winners will also receive badges, certificates, Snapmaker social media promotion, and access to new product testing.
Eligible works include slicing plugins, firmware, hardware modifications, workflows, and accessories. Projects must be published on GitHub or other public pages, shared on Snapmaker community channels, and submitted via the fund's online form. Winners retain full ownership of their works. Although the fund focuses on the U1, it also encourages projects that broadly improve 3D printing, including tools supporting older Snapmaker hardware and general maker tools serving a wider user base.
Final scores are determined by 80% technical committee evaluation and 20% community voting. The technical committee consists of Snapmaker's product and engineering teams, along with invited industry experts and community veterans; community voting comes from GitHub stars, community channel likes, and project page upvotes. Evaluation is based on innovation and technical depth, openness and quality, and community utility. The fund prefers open, reproducible, and well-documented works; closed-source projects may still qualify if they contribute through open APIs and transparent setup documentation.
The submission deadline for the first phase is September 7, 2026. Full details, tier breakdowns, and submission forms are available on the Snapmaker Innovation Fund page.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
