# Marleen Vogelaar

> Marleen Vogelaar is a Dutch entrepreneur who co-founded Shapeways in 2007, helped build it into the world's largest 3D printing marketplace, left in 2014 to start the on-demand apparel company Ziel, and then returned to Shapeways as CEO in December 2024 after the company went bankrupt - buying back the brand and rebuilding it around a leaner, B2B, profit-first model. A former competitive heptathlete and industrial engineer, she is known for pairing operational discipline with an insistence that a company's mission should not be hostage to its investors, an idea she put into practice by converting Ziel to steward-ownership.

- **Role:** Chief Executive Officer & Co-Owner at Shapeways
- **Organizations:** Shapeways, Ziel, Hudson Valley Mask Co., IMCG Solving, SCA Hygiene Products
- **From:** Netherlands
- **Nationality:** Dutch
- **Education:** M.S., Industrial Engineering and Management Science, Eindhoven University of Technology
- **Known for:** Co-founded Shapeways and helped build it into the world's largest 3D printing service and marketplace, Helped launch the world's first upload-to-3D-print consumer service, Founded Ziel, pioneering on-demand custom apparel with no minimum order and sub-10-day delivery

## Career timeline

- **pre-2007** — Demand manager and operations/quality roles at SCA Hygiene Products, then M&A and strategy consultant at boutique firm IMCG Solving
- **2007** — Co-founded Shapeways as a spin-off from Royal Philips Electronics in Eindhoven, with Peter Weijmarshausen and Robert Schouwenburg
- **2008-2014** — Served as COO/CFO/CSO of Shapeways, helping launch the first upload-to-3D-print service and scale it into the largest 3D printing marketplace
- **2015** — Founded Ziel, an on-demand athletic apparel manufacturing platform aimed at cutting fashion waste
- **2020** — During COVID-19, expanded Ziel into PPE and founded Hudson Valley Mask Co., producing a 100% biodegradable respirator
- **2024-12** — Returned to Shapeways as CEO and co-owner after the company's mid-2024 bankruptcy, buying the brand back with co-founder Robert Schouwenburg and the Eindhoven team

## Achievements

- Co-founded Shapeways and helped build it into the world's largest 3D printing service and marketplace
- Helped launch the world's first upload-to-3D-print consumer service
- Founded Ziel, pioneering on-demand custom apparel with no minimum order and sub-10-day delivery
- Converted Ziel to a steward-ownership structure to protect its mission from investor pressure
- Oversaw development of the first 100% biodegradable respirator via Hudson Valley Mask Co.
- Raised over $75M for Ziel and part of $134M+ total raised across her ventures
- Bought Shapeways out of bankruptcy and relaunched it in December 2024

## Latest updates

- **2024-12** — Returned as CEO and co-owner of a relaunched Shapeways after buying the brand out of bankruptcy.
- **2025-01** — Appeared with COO Jules Witte on the Additive Insight podcast to explain saving the Shapeways brand and its B2B roadmap.
- **2026-01** — Featured in talks and podcasts on scaling hardware without overbuilding or waste.

## Links

- Website: https://shapeways.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/marleenvogelaar3d
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/marleenvogelaar

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/marleen-vogelaar
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-09