Carbon appoints Jason Rolland as Chief Technology Officer. Carbon, a product development and manufacturing technology company, has promoted Jason Rolland, Ph.D., to Chief Technology Officer. Rolland has been with the company for more than 12 years and was one of its earliest hires. In his new position, he will lead Carbon's broader product development and research and development organization. Trained as a polymer scientist, Rolland earned his Ph.D. in 2005 under co-founder Joseph DeSimone, Ph.D. During his tenure, he built the materials team and co-invented the company's patented dual-cure resin platform. According to the firm, his leadership contributed to the launch of multiple resin products developed in combination with the company's hardware and software platforms. "I'm humbled and excited to take on this challenge," said Jason Rolland. "Over the past 12 years, I've really grown to love this space and this technology. I think additive manufacturing is critically important to building the next generation of products that impact our society, and I think Carbon is well positioned to lead this effort." Prior to joining the firm, Rolland was a co-founder of Liquidia, Inc. (NASDAQ: LQDA). He holds more than 60 issued U.S. patents, with an additional 45 pending. The company describes him as an expert in additive manufacturing whose career has involved work across multiple scientific and engineering disciplines. Phil DeSimone, Co-founder and CEO of Carbon, said Rolland has played a significant role in the company's development since its early stages. "I couldn't be more excited about having Jason in this role," said DeSimone. "He has been a prolific innovator and leader since he joined Carbon in the early days and is responsible for many of the company's largest revenue products. I am excited to have him lead Carbon's broader product development and R&D organization as we continue to lead the way in additive manufacturing technology and solutions." Rolland's appointment follows more than a decade overseeing materials development at the company. As Chief Technology Officer, he will now direct the firm's product development and research efforts. Leadership realignment reflects focus on scaling technical platforms Recent leadership appointments across additive manufacturing have centered on operational integration rather than expansion narratives. Spectroplast, a specialist in industrial silicone 3D printing, named Maximilian Eils as Chief Executive Officer with a mandate focused on translating materials innovation into scalable industrial production. Investors HZG Group and AM Ventures emphasized ecosystem coordination from material development through factory deployment, signaling that material platforms alone are insufficient without process engineering and production reliability. A similar emphasis on workflow integration emerged at Protolabs, a digital manufacturing services provider, which appointed Suresh Krishna as President and CEO while reaffirming second-quarter 2025 revenue guidance of $124 million to $132 million. Board leadership positioned the move around strengthening the company's role as an end-to-end manufacturing partner, spanning prototyping through production. Financial projections accompanying the appointment underscored performance discipline alongside leadership transition, indicating that growth strategies are increasingly tied to operational execution rather than technology claims alone. Are you building the next big thing in 3D printing? Join the 3D Printing Industry Start-up of the Year competition and expand your reach. Featured photo shows Jason Rolland. Photo via Carbon.

Exclusive: 3D printing company Carbon raises $60 million. Carbon, a Redwood City, Calif.-based 3D printing company whose tech is used to make NFL helmets, tells Axios that it's raised $60 million led by existing investors Sequoia Capital and Silver Lake. Why it matters: This is one of the largest additive manufacturing deals in years, as the once-hot sector was cooled by Desktop Metal's bankruptcy and Markforged's fire sale. * It also highlights how reindustrialization has taken hold in both the U.S. and Europe. * Carbon makes its resin materials in three continents, to reduce the impact of tariffs or geopolitical strife, and its tech is being used to make everything from dentures to sneakers. Other investors include Adidas, Baillie Gifford, Madrone, and Northgate. * The company previously raised over $700 million. Look ahead: Carbon cofounder Phil DeSimone says the company is now cash-flow breakeven and expects to IPO in 12 to 24 months.

ITERATE and Carbon bring human-centered design to high-performance sports gear. London-based product design and development consultancy ITERATE and US 3D printer OEM Carbon are collaborating to bring customized, high-performance sports equipment to a new level of personalization. By combining ITERATE's human-centered design approach with Carbon's Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) technology, the partnership enables products tailored to individual athletes while supporting more sustainable, on-demand production. Designing for Human Performance Unlike traditional 3D printing, Carbon's process uses light and oxygen to produce high-resolution parts with flexible lattice structures that absorb impact, adapt to movement, and respond naturally to the body. At ITERATE, personalization is also at the heart of every project. "Every athlete is unique - their body shape, movement patterns and performance demands all differ. The challenge for designers and engineers is to create products that adapt to those individualities. Through advanced materials, digital prototyping and additive manufacturing, that challenge is now being met," explained ITERATE. One example of this collaboration is the Energy Absorbing Arm Guard used in cricket, which incorporates energy-dissipating structures to protect high-risk areas while maintaining a full range of motion. The combination of ergonomic design and advanced materials demonstrates how AM can deliver custom-fit solutions that enhance both safety and performance. Beyond personalization, AM also supports more sustainable production. Traditional mass production relies on forecasts, surplus inventory, and extensive tooling, generating waste. Carbon and ITERATE's approach enables on-demand manufacturing, often closer to the user and using more sustainable materials, reducing excess production and extending product lifespan. 3D Printing Gains Momentum in Sports Beyond cricket, 3D printing is pushing performance boundaries across various sports sectors. For example, in cycling,Fizik's One-to-One custom saddle program - developed in collaboration with bike-fitting experts gebioMized and powered by OEM manufacturer Carbon's 3D printing technology - secured the Gold Award in the Components category at the 2025 EUROBIKE Awards. By seamlessly integrating dynamic rider data, automated design, and additive manufacturing, the program exemplifies scalable personalization in performance cycling. Elsewhere, Nike, the U.S.-based athletic wear company, developed a 3D printed sports bra using a new material called FlyWeb. The product is Nike's first application of additive manufacturing in performance apparel. FlyWeb is made from thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a soft and pliable polymer, and is fabricated through 3D printing rather than traditional knitting or weaving. The material forms a single, seamless layer tailored using computational design. Designers adjusted properties such as stretch, airflow, and support by modulating density across different zones of the garment. "It took years of re-engineering - not just the materials but the design approach itself - to make FlyWeb feel soft, breathable and beautiful enough for apparel," said Janett Nichol, Nike's Vice President of Innovation. Want to help shape the future of AM? Join the Expert Committee for its 2025 3DPI Awards, launching later this summer. Image featured shows 3D printed cricket arm guard. Image via ITERATE.