Since I missed a gazillion opportunities to become filthy-rich during the birth years of the public internet, I probably should rectify that by getting in early on the era of personal fabrication. Who is going to corner the market by creating the 3-D Printing App Store and when can I begin investing?
The big money will be made by corporations that control patents not just for 3-D printers themselves, but also for various kinds of objects people might want to “print.” Want to make a rubber ducky for your kid? Disney owns that design and demands that you pay before you recreate it. Want to print a replacement tail light for your Camry? Toyota owns that.
Fortunes will also be made by those who control 3-D printing marketplaces akin to Apple’s App Store, where the design files for various printable objects will wind up being traded, with sellers paying huge fees for the privilege of just being allowed to participate. And if people want to sell stuff they make with their 3-D printers, then they’ll most likely have to peddle their wares in markets controlled by the likes of Amazon, eBay and Etsy, which will rake in most of the profits.
I don’t know that my brother has seen the future with perfect clarity, but he’s right that there are many fortunes to be made. It’s something to keep your eye on, so you aren’t the guy or gal who didn’t bother to invest in Microsoft or Amazon or Apple or eBay…again.
