Stratasys Vs. MakerBot - Same company? I'm Confused

[frederick78]

Guys, can someone please clear this up for me. I know that Stratasys acquired MakerBot some time ago. However, I have a few questions.

1) Why do they continue to release their printers under separate names? Wouldn't it be best to release them all under Stratasys?
2) Is Bre Pettis the CEO of Stratasys? I always hear that he is the CEO of MakerBot, but if MakerBot was acquired by Stratasys, shouldn't they have the same CEO?
3) Does Stratasys make consumer level printers or just professional models?

Thanks for clearing this up
Fred

[Compro01]

1. Stratasys has an established name in serious industry. Makerbot is an established name in hobbyist circles. It's simply branding to target different sub-sectors of the 3D printing industry.

2. No. The CEO of Stratasys is David Reis.

2.5. No, even though Makerbot is owned by Stratasys, it still maintains its own corporate governance structure, which is subservient to the governance of Stratasys. Think of it like city and state/provincial governments.

3. Just professional. That's why they bought Makerbot, so they could tap an existing name and relationships in the consumer/hobbyist sector.

[3dfilemarket.com]

I wonder what will happen to thingiverse??? Surely at some point a charge will be involve to access all that content? Or is the new makerbot store with paid download files that are guaranteed by makerbot designers the way tr company will go. Expand their own revenue making website and slowly let thingiverse run out of steam?

[JohnA136]

The files on Thingiverse were uploaded by designers as open source, shared use files. Makerbot can not just change that status and start charging for downloads. They may either just close it down or perhaps charge a "subscription charge" for using Thingiverse but a per item fee would be difficult for them to institute.

The MakerBot Store downloads are pre-sliced for a Replicator 2.