Emerging Technology Forum
The New Avatar: 3D Innovation & Investment
May 10, 2012 | 6:00-9:00 PM | 650 Page Mill Road | Palo Alto
Event Sponsor: Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

3D has come a long way over the past 15 years. There have been 3D blockbuster movies, 3D TVs and gaming companies have created amazing new reality experiences in role playing games.

The next big wave of 3D printing also known as “additive manufacturing” is taking shape as more and more companies use low-cost 3D printers for rapid prototyping and low volume production. These new printers are even popping up at public libraries where 3D fab labs have been created for students and adults to turn ideas into real objects. “The ability to create light, strong structures which have complex internal shapes may well turn out to be additive manufacturing’s killer app,” the Economist said in a recent article on 3D printing.

In this Emerging Technology Forum event on May 10th, 2012, we will explore some of the new companies and opportunities at this important intersection of technology and ideas. Investors, companies and visionaries will talk about this new wave and the opportunities it is creating for engineers, entrepreneurs and life scientists to create disruptive innovations. Our esteemed panel will discuss the kinds of materials being used in these 3D printers, the technical challenges, IP issues, cultural and social implications for how we conceive and build new products.

Moderator:
Lee Bruno, Principal, E-Cubed Ventures, LLC

Panelists:
Mark Hatch, CEO, Techshop
Gonzalo Martinez, a director in CTO group, Autodesk
Dave ten Have, CEO, Ponoko
Paul Bradley, Executive Director, frog design