From architecture to additive manufacturing

After four years of architecture studies, Tiago realised the path wasn’t the right one for him. He moved to the Netherlands with his Dutch partner (now wife) and soon after found an opening at Shapeways for a Production and Distribution Specialist.

“It was basically everything that happened after the parts came out of the printers — cleaning, post-processing, packing and shipping,” he recalls. Early advice during the interview stuck with him: if you wanted to succeed at Shapeways, you needed to take initiative and look for ways to improve things.

That mindset led Tiago to experiment with automation. With no programming background but plenty of willingness to get stuck in, he began teaching himself to code to make processes faster and more reliable. Within a year, he was coding every day.

The ‘Ah! So this is what I love’ moment

By 2015, his enthusiasm for automation led to a role in the Industrial Engineering team, where he worked more deeply with machines, programming and process development. Soon after, he began collaborating part-time with Shapeways’ software group, a step that ultimately defined his career.

“I realized this is what I wanted to do. I loved the idea of building a piece of code that could make someone’s working life easier and better,” he says. That spark carried him through roles as junior and senior developer, staff engineer leading the migration to AWS, engineering manager, and today, Head of Engineering.

A leadership style built on empathy

Tiago’s leadership is shaped by his early days on the production floor. He knows first-hand how software choices affect the people who use them. That’s why every new engineer on his team spends their first week working alongside production, packing and shipping orders, before they write a single line of code.

“When you see how people actually use the software, you start noticing issues no one else sees anymore,” he explains. “It gives you fresh eyes and a better understanding of how to improve things.”

Once a month, his team holds a “Lab Day,” where developers are free to test new tools, try ideas and then present their findings back to the group. Sometimes the result is a fun dead end, other times it sparks features that deliver real value across the company.

Building for Shapeways’ future

The engineering team doesn’t operate in isolation. Its goals are directly tied to the company’s goals, with three main areas of focus:

• Customer Experience: ensuring smooth, accurate, and reliable quoting, ordering and tracking.
• Operational Efficiency: building and maintaining fast, dependable tools that keep production moving without bottlenecks.
• Scalability: designing systems that can grow from serving a handful of customers to tens of thousands without breaking.

Working side-by-side with operations, supply chain and sales teams keeps communication short and feedback loops tight. Developers regularly join customer meetings to hear how tools are being used in real-world contexts — often in ways the team hadn’t imagined.

Curiosity + problem solver = opportunity

The “restart” of Shapeways brought challenges but also opportunities to rethink what works and what doesn’t. Tiago sees it as a rebirth moment: a chance to carry forward what’s good, leave behind what isn’t and rebuild stronger.

He’s especially excited about the new instant quoting tool, currently in beta, which he describes as a new canvas for Shapeways to keep improving customer experience in the years ahead.

“At Shapeways, if you’re curious and want to solve problems, you’ll always find opportunity,” Tiago says. “That’s been my journey and it’s what we want for everyone who joins the team.”

The post Team Spotlight: Tiago Sao Jose, Head of Engineering appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

“I’d always been interested in additive manufacturing,” João explains, “but I didn’t feel very confident in my English, so I decided to take a more hands-on role to build that confidence while also learning from the inside.” A recommendation from his brother Tiago who was already at Shapeways painted a picture of a collaborative, open company culture — and that was enough to spark his move to Eindhoven.

Starting from the ground up

João joined Shapeways as a Manufacturing Technician. It was a role that gave him front-line exposure to the entire production process from handling parts straight out of the printer, checking quality, finishing them, through to getting them ready for customers. “Even though the process might seem repetitive, no two days are ever the same,” he says. “Every tray of parts is different. Every part brings new challenges. That’s what keeps it exciting.”

From day one, João was already thinking about improvements. “I had ideas about how to make certain steps more efficient, but I was nervous to share them at first because I was new and didn’t know how people would react. But the team was amazing. That moment really confirmed I was in the right place.”

Stepping up and standing out

João’s curiosity grew with his confidence, especially in terms of how jobs were prepared before printing, how the team managed tight customer deadlines and how so many parts could be produced with such precision. That curiosity led him to join the Planning team and later step into the role of Process Technician.

Today, he works as a Senior Manufacturing Technician, planning all incoming orders and making sure printers are running as efficiently as possible. He also works directly with customers to assess whether their designs are suitable for the selected technology and, if not, helps them adjust for a better outcome.

“I love the problem-solving side of this job,” he says. “Fitting complex orders into print trays, finding ways to optimize workflows definitely keeps you sharp. And we’re always looking for ways to automate and improve what we do.”

Growth is a byproduct of trust and teamwork

João is quick to credit his development to the team around him. “Since day one, I’ve felt supported. People are always willing to answer questions, share what they know and give honest feedback. That gave me the confidence to try new things.”

The trust placed in him made a huge difference too. “Every time I showed interest in something new, my managers encouraged me to go for it. Whether it was learning about planning or optimizing a workflow, they gave me space and support.”

That openness to growth is something João sees as core to Shapeways. “There’s a real culture of continuous learning here. If you’re proactive and want to grow, this is the right environment.”

Balancing complexity with calm

With so many different customers, technologies and jobs to manage, João admits it’s not easy. “It’s a lot of volume and a lot of moving parts, so we have to stay focused to deliver quality on time.”

“You need to stay calm under pressure. If something goes wrong, you look for a solution, not someone to blame. And if you see a chance to prevent future problems, you take it.”

A team that reflects the world

Working in the international, cross-functional team at Shapeways Eindhoven is something João clearly values. “We’ve got people from all over which creates this mix of ideas and perspectives that you wouldn’t get anywhere else.”

That diversity, he says, is one of the team’s strengths. “Everyone brings something different. We’re all learning from each other and there’s a real sense of collaboration. It’s open, it’s supportive and it really works.”

Lessons in leadership

Looking back, João sees adaptability, curiosity and attention to detail as key ingredients for success in his role. “Things change fast — new orders, new priorities — so you have to stay flexible. But communication is just as important. You have to work across teams, explain decisions and stay aligned.”

“In terms of my skills I would say planning, optimization and time management have all grown massively. But honestly, one of the biggest things has been my confidence in English. I never imagined I’d be doing this kind of work in a second language.”

What’s next for João? Probably another challenge. Another improvement to chase. Another process to fine-tune. Because for someone driven by growth, this is just the next layer.

The post João’s Journey: From Technician to Trusted Planner at Shapeways appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

International culture

Antoinette joined Shapeways with varied international experience — from France with Disney, Estée Lauder, Ralph Lauren, to a Dutch recruitment agency — this variety made her a natural fit. “I knew it was a very international company. And for me, international is super important because I grew up outside of the Netherlands.”

She joined Shapeways as Office Manager and HR Support, the perfect role to build awareness of the whole team and discover what they needed for their continued success.

A natural shift into HR

As the team grew and developed, so did Antoinette’s responsibility. “It felt natural to flow into more of an HR role. And the more I did HR, the more I loved working with people. I’m a very much a people person… and I like to think that I am very empathetic. And I think that’s something that people need a lot of.”

Antoinette’s transition from managing the office to leading HR with a growing team also meant bigger challenges. In this role she could help shape the experience of everyone around her. “I think HR should be a very easy step for people to go to… I don’t like that version of HR where it’s disconnected or deemed to be negative, ‘my goodness, I have to go to HR!’ I don’t think that that’s a good reflection of the role. I want our team to know I am available or will make myself available for them so that HR is integrated day-to-day in the business”

Homecoming crowd

“More than 90% of our current employees were with us before 2024 which is a great statement in itself. With such good retention we are now growing with new team members who are helping us build on our stable foundations.”

Antoinette was one of the many who returned after Shapeways’ bankruptcy and helped bring others back too. “People were pretty much waiting, ‘can we come back and work for Shapeways?’ Every single person that we’ve called back pretty much came home and are still really happy to be here.” So what is it that people were returning to? “I think the international aspect of the culture… the way people communicate… Everybody’s respectful to each other. And people are allowed to be themselves. We thrive on the variety of experiences and outlooks that our team members bring.”

Two-way communication

Antoinette was able to ‘bridge the gap’ between the pre- and post-bankruptcy Shapeways, bringing learnings forward to improve the business. “It’s important to know that you will be heard when you share your ideas.” She is driven by commitment to connect and value everyone’s contribution.

Antoinette stresses the importance of defining and maintaining transparency in communication: “If somebody goes to their manager and says ‘I have a really great idea to set up this system’, and the manager’s like, ‘Yeah, good idea’ that is only half of the communication needed to drive transparency. I encourage our team to ask what happens next? Who takes the next step? What else do I need to know? And what real transparency means is that if the lead thinks it sounds like a good idea, but doesn’t think we’re ready yet, that is communicated back and that the employee knows where they stand. Being on the same page is crucial to our shared success.”

“Everybody’s using English pretty much as a second language and people can be misunderstood”. I see this as a great opportunity to master great communication skills as a team. Things like clarification, recapping meetings, checking in on everyone’s expectations at the start to keep projects and teams on track. These are the skills we use to ensure great communication is at the heart of the business.”

Supporting growth from within

Antoinette takes a proactive, personal approach to helping colleagues grow. “I like to take the time to understand our team members and their goals, beyond just an ‘I’m fine!’ response. We make sure that most of the time, people are self-directed and can use their initiative, but if they need it, the support is always there.”

For Antoinette the success Shapeways has experienced in retaining team members starts with understanding each person in the team. “It’s really important to identify the people who need a pat on their shoulder, … I encourage the managers to recognize individuals, have they looked into who’s done a really good job? Have they expressed the fact that they noticed? I love making these connections and helping the team grow stronger.”

What does it take?

“We like to have people who are passionate, who haven’t applied just to apply to ‘a job’, but have applied because they really want to come and work for us.” Experience matters, but it’s not everything. “If we’re looking for somebody to work in the factory, if that person is enthusiastic and says, ‘I think 3D printing is amazing and I would love to be part of it!’ I’m already interested in this person because of their energy.”

She also values curiosity and openness. “If somebody doesn’t ask me any questions about the company or hasn’t done their research… It shows that they’re not really interested. We have a team of skilled people, great personalities and we are all curious and engaged, this is the kind of thing that stands out at an interview.”

Working together in the Eindhoven facility as a team is another part of what works so well in driving a happy culture. “We need to be here, we need to be close to each other, we need to act quickly, so we can move forward and provide great service and products.”

Looking ahead

“What excites me is the fact that we are focusing on what we’re best at, 3D printing. And I can’t wait to continue our growth and attract more and more clients. I’m excited also to have new employees, new people that we can get to know, and to grow.”

Antoinette is helping shape the company’s values for the next phase of growth. “As we bring new talent into the team it is important that we have good onboarding structures so we can promote our values, how we want them to be interpreted and set examples of the values in action.”

Keeping things practical is part of the formula that Antoinette promotes for sharing Shapeways values. “People need to understand what the value is and how it fits their role. Our values can’t just be written in a handbook, they have to be lived from top to bottom.”

The post Antoinette De Gee — Building Culture, One Conversation at a Time appeared first on Shapeways Blog.

“For the various years I’ve worked here, a lot has changed over time, which is what basically has kept me here,” he says. “From startup to grow-up, moving offices, building teams in the US, migrating infrastructure through six different data centers, moving to the cloud, then moving out again. I like that. I like change.”

The invisible hand 

As Senior Systems Architect, Hans is responsible for the infrastructure that keeps everything running. This can be something of a thankless task, because when you’re as good as Hans is, nobody notices your work. “Infrastructure is something that is typically not seen at all. It’s only visible once it breaks. But when it does break, everything that depends on it just stops. So you have to plan like everything that can break will break.”

It’s not just about patching up problems but more about building resilience. “If I have multiple servers that can do exactly the same thing, and one of them breaks, the other one should be able to take the full load. That’s good. Nobody notices anything even broke. That is a win.”

Hans’ decades of experience show themselves in subtle ways. “We’ve had fiber cuts to the buildings several times. So now, when I see construction happening near where the fiber cables lie, I get anxious… I’ve seen it happen. But that’s why we have failover plans, backup lines, routing protocols. You have to be ready.” 

Readiness and resilience

That long-term thinking is vital now more than ever. Hans played a crucial role in the restart of Shapeways at the end of 2024, balancing the complex technical infrastructure with cost-efficiency and growth in mind. “We needed to reconfigure our cloud offering, moving more in-house but retaining the uptime and stability everyone expects. That was a successful project and that’s what we’re running on today.”

Complexity is sometimes inevitable, but where possible Hans prefers the minimalist approach. “When you’re developing systems that cater to multiple different requirements, you end up adding layers upon layers of complexity very quickly,” he explains. “And then, if there’s a problem, it’s very difficult to find where it resides. So I ask, ‘is that layer really needed’? Cutting complexity makes it easier to diagnose and fix problems — and to prevent them from happening again.”

And as Shapeways looks to scale, Hans’ role becomes even more central. “We’re currently harmonizing the infrastructure across the different parts of the business; scaling-up when needed, scaling back when we don’t. That saves cost but maintains resilience.”

Failing to prepare means preparing to fail

“You always need to plan for growth. If you can handle your current load, can you handle double that? Ten times that? With every scaling step, you need different solutions and it can get costly quickly. It’s a challenge to find the balance of resilience and cost viability.”

Perfection is always just over the horizon, but over time you can get pretty close to it. Hans’ experience in The Netherlands has given him an education in how to do things properly. “Shapeways’ factory in Eindhoven was the gold standard in terms of operations. In the early years, people from the company’s other sites would come here to learn how we do things.” 

That stability, backed by technical maturity, is what underpins the company’s future. “Technical reliability often can’t be seen. It’s work that happens behind the scenes. But the people here — the team, the tools, the practices — are solid.”

Curiosity and cosmology

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Hans’ passion for the big picture — literally— doesn’t stop when he goes home. He’s written custom Linux drivers for his astrophotography hobby, built his own weather station and automated an observatory roof that opens and closes based on cloud cover. “It’s a fun challenge. I’ve been running it for a while now. Some objects are just two small dots in a star field, but if you know what you’re looking at, like a gravitationally split quasar, it’s fascinating.”

So what kind of person is best suited to the herculean task of keeping systems up and stopping problems before they happen?

“Curious people. People who are determined to fix something up to their own standards. Everything we run runs on Linux. We’ve used cutting-edge infrastructure: ZFS on Linux, EBGP routing, Kubernetes, Flux, Terraform… we’re not afraid to change. Change is constant. Expect it.”

And what makes a great day for Hans?“A good day is if I found the cause of an issue and was able to fix it, or if I saw that some preventative measure actually prevented a bigger problem from happening. That is nice.” You can follow along with the Shapeways Team Spotlight series to find out more about the team behind the scenes.

The post Hans Lambermont — bringing resilience to constant change appeared first on Shapeways Blog.