The 2018 winner of the Central European ranking Deloitte Technology Fast 50, Czech 3D printer manufacturer Prusa Research, succeeded also in the Fast 500 category including five hundred fastest growing tech companies from Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Growth rate of 17,122% catapulted the company to the podium and secured its third place in the ranking. Other Czech companies were also successful: Kiwi.com, Pilulka Distribuce, Proficio Marketing, ZOOT, Creative Dock and IDEA StatiCa. Congratulations!
On a monthly basis, its printers make additional 6,000 printers and if the day had no limits, they would probably make even more because interest in them is not waning. Their footprint, or printers to be more precise, can be found all over the world. Despite this, everything is still only managed from Prague. It has its own factory in Prague’s Holešovice that produces filaments (printer cartridges). As regards the production of 3D printers, it is fully self-sufficient, from A to Z. This is Prusa Research, a company from the Czech Republic that is conquering the world.
What is its recipe for success? Prusa 3D is a cocktail of enormous enthusiasm, openness, technical knowledge, enterprising spirit, plenty of ideas and, understandably, a little bit of luck. However, maybe only one ingredient would be enough in the end. “It is extremely simple. You only need to take good care of your customers. This is what works best,” says Josef Průša, CEO and founder of Prusa Research.
Three Questions for Josef Průša, Father of 3D Printing (Not Only) in the Czech Republic
Production of own filament, PrusaLab, third place in the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA with growth of 16,366% and sales of one billion last year = check, check, check and check! What is your next aim?
Now only world dominance remains, about which we have been speaking for so long 🙂 3D printing still has a long way ahead, so we will continue to seek to make it more efficient and available to the wider public. Our development team already has more than 60 members. The side effects will hopefully include some additional growth…
A year ago, you purchased Futur3D, whereby you extended your scope of competence to include DLP/SLA printers. How has your experience to date helped “conquer” this segment and what will be the specific result of the project?
Following a year of intensive development and testing, we have rolled out our Original Prusa SL1 printer, which we dare say is number one in the respective segment. It has been a significant experience for us because it is our new milestone in terms of quality. At present, we are seeking to scale up production as fast as possible.
PrusaLab (a makerspace for DIY enthusiasts) has also celebrated the first year of its existence. It is also newly possible to try out something different at your firm: an embroidery machine. How do you get from 3D printing to embroidery? What other projects do you have for your members in the pipeline?
Since its very beginning, PrusaLab has not only offered 3D printers. It is a sort of paradise for every DIY enthusiast and maker. We have, for example, a machine for making vacuum moulds, three-and-a half-ton professional milling machine, lathe, router, solders, drills… So why not an embroidery machine? Going forward, we primarily wish to focus on providing better assistance to our community’s projects.
“It only took a few years for Prusa Research to become one of the most innovative and fastest growing firms in the 3D industry. This occurred without any external investments,” says Kateřina Novotná, a Senior Manager at Deloitte in charge of technology companies. She adds: “It succeeded in hopping on the new wave of 3D printing in time and using it to its own advantage. This enabled it to grow at breakneck speed and quickly expand to the whole world. It will be understandably more and more difficult to maintain the existing growth, yet the gentlemen at Průša keep generating new and new ideas and are really on a solid path to conquer 3D printing in global terms.”
Bull’s eye: Josef Průša was in the right place at the right time. It is not a cliché but a story of how you can succeed in capturing a new trend and transforming it to you own image, adjusting to the needs of the market and customers, and offering a quality product for a reasonable price, which results in creating a new community united around 3D printing.
Every Czech person is a DIY enthusiast. Josef Průša has revived this tradition and brought it closer to the young generation. You can build the printer at home from the very first to the last component entirely on your own. If home DIY is not enough for you, you can use the PrusaLab makerspace, where the creative world meets modern technologies. It is a place where everyone is happy to play around…
Reasonable price: The price-to-performance ratio is set so that the product is also available for ordinary people. Therefore, you can buy a printer for the same price as a branded mobile phone. Every components has its place, there is nothing superfluous. Design comes second. The dominant features include functionality and the price. The raw look goes well with the product.
Not your typical startup: Since its very beginnings, the firm has built on its foundations. It has made it to the top on its own without an investor’s help. Nowadays, it has more than three hundred employees and last year generated its first billion in sales. It has its eye on competition and is extending its scope of competence (purchase of Futur 3D).
Openness: Owners of old printers are automatically eligible for an upgrade with every new model. The customer service is ready to solve any problem worldwide virtually at once. Rather than fighting pirates, it has opted for the “open source” style. Since its very beginning, the firm has not played hide-and-seek.
Under one roof: Development and production take place at a single location and are self-directed. Printers continuously print components for additional printers and the firm also uses its own resources in producing cartridges. Thanks to this, it has considerably greater control over quality and costs. In addition, it runs a makerspace under the same roof.
Technology Fast 500 EMEA in Prague: seven Czech companies placed among 500 fastest growing companies
In addition to Prusa Research, Deloitte Technology Fast 500 EMEA also included the flight, bus and train ticket search engine Kiwi.com (5th place), Pilulka Distribuce (59th place), Proficio Marketing (84th place), ZOOT (185th place), Creative Dock (406th place) and IDEA StatiCa (424th place). The fastest growing tech company is Strossle International AB from Sweden with a growth rate of 19,900 %.
Congratulations to all the Czech companies on their placement and we look forward to another victory parade this year! Have a look at detailed results.
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