Unlayered 3D Co-Founders Launch 5-Axis Desktop Printer Startup in College
Two Rose-Hulman graduates launch a 5-axis desktop 3D printing startup, aiming to redefine the desktop AM market.
Philip Pounds and Alex Stedman, co-founders of Unlayered 3D, started their company while still students at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Indiana. The two roommates developed a five-axis desktop 3D printer, which they showcased at RAPID 2026 before graduating. The machine offers advantages such as support-free printing, stronger parts, and cleaner surfaces, with the founders believing that five-axis technology will eventually replace three-axis systems once software challenges are resolved.
Unlayered 3D was developed in their apartment, with initial funding coming from Rose-Hulman’s angel investor fund and a professional development grant. The university provided a supportive environment, allowing the students to retain full ownership of their intellectual property. Pounds and Stedman credit their school’s entrepreneurial culture for helping them transition from a student project to a serious business venture.
The startup plans to move to San Francisco as it prepares for a full launch. While not a formal campus spinout, the company’s origin story highlights a growing trend of young engineers launching hardware startups during their studies, leveraging academic resources and personal innovation to enter the additive manufacturing market.
Unlayered 3D’s 5-axis desktop printer represents a significant step forward in making advanced AM technology more accessible. By targeting the desktop market with high-performance capabilities, the startup could influence broader adoption of multi-axis printing. This aligns with the industry’s move toward more capable, user-friendly systems, especially as AM continues to expand into engineering and prototyping applications.
Edited by the news editor with AI from the original report — please refer to the original source.