Objet Ltd.

Objet Ltd.
Name	Objet Ltd.
Type	Public (formerly)
Fate	Merged with Stratasys
Industry	Additive manufacturing, 3D printing
Founded	1998
Founders	Ronen Nazarian, Zohar Zisapel, Giora Bechar
Defunct	2012 (merged)
Headquarters	Rehovot, Israel
Key people	Ronen Nazarian (co-founder), Efi Arazi (mentor), Shlomo Kalish (investor)
Products	PolyJet printers, photopolymer materials

Objet Ltd. was an Israeli high-technology company founded in 1998 that developed polymer-based Additive manufacturing systems and photopolymer materials for rapid prototyping and production. The company became known for its PolyJet multi-material deposition technology and a portfolio of studio, office and industrial 3D printers. In 2012 it merged with Stratasys in a landmark transaction that reshaped the global 3D Systems-era competitive landscape in Additive manufacturing.

History

Objet Ltd. was established in Rehovot by a team led by Ronen Nazarian with investment from Israeli entrepreneurs including Zohar Zisapel. Early corporate backing came from venture partners tied to Israeli high-tech ecosystems in Herzliya and Tel Aviv. The firm initially focused on photopolymer jetting processes, building on research traditions from institutions like the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and collaborations with industrial partners in Germany and the United States. Objet launched its first commercial systems in the early 2000s and expanded sales through distribution agreements with firms in Japan, China, and France. The company pursued an aggressive product roadmap and intellectual property strategy, filing numerous patents and engaging with standard-setting bodies such as ASTM International committees on additive manufacturing. In 2012, Objet executed a share-for-share merger with Stratasys, creating one of the largest public entities in polymer-based 3D printing and attracting scrutiny from investors including activist funds and institutional shareholders in New York and Tel Aviv.

Products and Technology

Objet developed a family of PolyJet and inkjet-style jetting systems that deposited photopolymer droplets cured by ultraviolet light, producing high-resolution parts with fine surface finish. The product line spanned desktop units aimed at design studios to industrial printers for tooling and end-use components. Objet’s materials portfolio included rigid, flexible, transparent and support resins tailored for industries such as Automotive industry, Aerospace, Medical device, and consumer electronics firms like Apple Inc.-level design houses. Technical features emphasized multi-material printing, high resolution (droplet-scale deposition), and complex geometries, enabling applications similar to those addressed by competitors such as 3D Systems and Stratasys prior to the merger. Objet systems integrated software toolchains compatible with CAD platforms from vendors like Dassault Systèmes and PTC (company), and workflows involving metrology tools from Zeiss and Mitutoyo for quality assurance.

Corporate Structure and Ownership

Objet’s capital structure evolved from private Israeli venture funding to a public listing and finally to a strategic combination. Early investors included regional venture capital firms and strategic corporate partners from Silicon Wadi networks. The company engaged in cross-border financing rounds with participation from institutional investors in London, New York City, and Hong Kong. Prior to the 2012 merger, governance involved a board with executives and independent directors drawn from the international technology and manufacturing sectors, and audit committees aligned with listing requirements on markets in Tel Aviv Stock Exchange-linked channels. The 2012 merger with Stratasys was structured as a share-swap that consolidated ownership under the combined company, attracting oversight by regulators and shareholders in Israel and the United States and altering the competitive balance among public firms like 3D Systems.

Market and Applications

Objet’s systems served clients across product design, rapid prototyping, small-batch manufacturing, and medical modeling. Prominent users included automotive suppliers in Germany and United States OEMs for concept modeling, aerospace firms for lightweight components, prosthetics developers and surgical planning teams in academic hospitals such as Cleveland Clinic, and consumer product designers in studios across London and Tokyo. Objet’s multi-material capability enabled market segments focused on realistic simulation of textures and assemblies used by companies comparable to Nike, Inc. in footwear prototyping and electronics firms for enclosure mockups. The merger with Stratasys positioned the combined firm to compete for enterprise contracts against competitors like 3D Systems and to participate in procurement by defense contractors and large industrial conglomerates in South Korea and Germany.

Research and Development

R&D at Objet emphasized materials science, droplet deposition physics, and software-driven print-path optimization. The company maintained collaborations with universities such as Technion – Israel Institute of Technology and research partnerships with corporate labs in United States and Europe. Objet invested in patent portfolios covering photopolymer chemistry, jetting hardware, and support-material removal processes; its engineering teams published and presented findings at conferences including Formnext-adjacent technical sessions and IEEE events. Joint projects explored biocompatible materials for medical models and hybrid manufacturing workflows integrating subtractive milling from vendors like Haas Automation for post-processing.

Legal and Controversies

Objet’s corporate trajectory involved standard industry disputes over intellectual property, competition and merger governance. The consolidation with Stratasys prompted shareholder debate and regulatory review concerning market concentration among public 3D-printing firms including 3D Systems. Patent litigation and freedom-to-operate challenges were pursued in jurisdictions such as United States District Court for the District of Delaware and adjudicated through settlement or licensing in several cases. Objet also faced contractual disputes with distributors in regions including China and Brazil; these matters were resolved through arbitration or negotiated settlement. No single controversy led to criminal adjudication, but the merger and associated governance decisions attracted commentary from financial analysts and institutional investors in New York and Tel Aviv.

Category:Additive manufacturing companies Category:Defunct technology companies of Israel