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Bre Pettis

Business Owner at Bantam Tools

Bre Pettis is an entrepreneur, artist, and technology innovator best known for his significant contributions to the maker movement. He is currently the CEO and co-founder of Bantam Tools, a company that designs and manufactures high-precision desktop CNC machines.

Professional Background:

  • Co-founder and former CEO of MakerBot Industries, a pioneering 3D printing company that helped democratize 3D printing technology14
  • Acquired Other Machine Co. (now Bantam Tools) in June 20174
  • Has a diverse professional history including being a:
    • Puppeteer
    • School teacher
    • Video blogger
    • TV host
    • Artist

Education and Early Career:

  • Born on July 14, 1972, in Ithaca, New York4
  • Graduated from The Evergreen State College in 1995, studying psychology, mythology, and performing arts4
  • Worked at Jim Henson's Creature Shop in London, learning prototyping and building custom animatronics4

Current Work: At Bantam Tools, Pettis continues his mission to empower makers and creatives by providing powerful and accessible manufacturing tools. The company focuses on desktop CNC machines for professionals, engineers, and educators.123

Notable Achievements:

  • Recognized with numerous awards, including Popular Mechanics' "Overall Winner" in 20121
  • Featured in the documentary film "Print the Legend"4
  • Continues to be a sought-after speaker at conferences like TED, SXSW, and Maker Faire1

Highlights

Jan 9 · twitter

#genuary Day 9 prompt: Cellular Automata 🧫

Big Conway’s Game of Life fan, so I made a photo-reactive line system I’m calling “Hungry Line.” Lines spawn across the page: dark areas feed them longer, light areas starve them short and when they hit contours, they’re forced to follow the edge.

Added a CMYK split mode and tested it on a photo composition I took (~2003): extreme close-up plastic horses in nature. Not a faithful rendering, but… something cool is happening.

#genuary Day 9 prompt: Cellular Automata 🧫

Big Conway’s Game of Life fan, so I made a photo-reacti
Jan 6 · twitter

#Genuary Day 6, I automated a process that took me 3 hours in 2020. Besides painting Anthony in 2026 with the same 2020 model, I also made a @brooklynmuseum Alexander with “moveable” digital light. Full story here: https://t.co/awFboK5nvy (scroll down) https://t.co/41JmAECWSH

#Genuary Day 6, I automated a process that took me 3 hours in 2020. Besides painting Anthony in 2026
Aug 29 · techedpodcast.com
Bre Pettis, Founder & CEO of Bantam Tools - The TechEd Podcast
Bre Pettis, Founder & CEO of Bantam Tools - The TechEd Podcast
Feb 19 · bantamtools.com
Bre Pettis: Utopia, Hackerspaces & the Early Days of MakerBot
Sep 6 · businesswire.com
Other Machine Co. Becomes Bantam Tools™ | Business Wire
Sep 4 · 3ders.org
3D Print Service - 3ders.org - 3ders.org
Apr 23 · TechCrunch
MakerBot’s technology of the future grapples with its rocky past - TechCrunch
Oct 30 · en.wikipedia.org
Bre Pettis - Wikipedia
Bre Pettis - Wikipedia

Related Questions

What inspired Bre Pettis to transition from 3D printing to CNC machines?
How has Bre Pettis's background in art influenced his approach to engineering?
What are some notable projects or innovations that have come out of Bantam Tools?
How does Bantam Tools' Desktop PCB Milling Machine differ from other CNC machines?
What are some upcoming projects or events involving Bre Pettis and Bantam Tools?
Bre Pettis
Bre Pettis, photo 1
Bre Pettis, photo 2
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Location

New York City Metropolitan Area