Nasdaq: SSYS. 2012 merger of US Stratasys (FDM, 1989) and Israeli Objet Geometries (PolyJet, 1998). CEO Yoav Zeif. Survived three hostile takeover attempts in 2023. Acquiring Markforged from Nano Dimension for $42.5M. US Navy deployed 25 F900 systems on battleships. The largest listed pure-play in additive manufacturing.
By The Olam Editorial Team · Aug 3, 2026
Nasdaq: SSYS. 2012 merger of US Stratasys (FDM, 1989) and Israeli Objet Geometries (PolyJet, 1998). CEO Yoav Zeif. Survived three hostile takeover attempts in 2023. Acquiring Markforged from Nano Dimension for $42.5M. US Navy deployed 25 F900 systems on battleships. The largest listed pure-play in additive manufacturing.
At a Glance
| Company | Stratasys Ltd. |
| Ticker | Nasdaq: SSYS |
| Formation | 2012 merger of Stratasys Inc. (US, 1989) and Objet Geometries (Israel, 1998) |
| Dual HQ | Rehovot, Israel · Minnetonka, Minnesota |
| CEO | Dr. Yoav Zeif (ex-McKinsey Tel Aviv) |
| Technology platforms | FDM, PolyJet, SAF, P3 |
| Q4 2025 revenue | $140M |
The two founding stories
Stratasys is the product of two founding stories on opposite sides of the world.
The American side: Scott Crump and FDM (1989). S. Scott Crump co-founded Stratasys Inc. in 1989 in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, after inventing Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). FDM became the foundational technology of the entire 3D printing category. Stratasys Inc. went public on Nasdaq in 1994 and grew into the world's largest FDM system manufacturer.
The Israeli side: Objet Geometries and PolyJet (1998). Objet Geometries was founded in 1998 in Rehovot, Israel. Its core innovation was PolyJet technology — a process that jets multiple photopolymer materials simultaneously, curing them with UV light. Where FDM builds strong functional prototypes, PolyJet builds detailed, multi-material models suited to design verification and medical modeling. David Reis served as CEO.
In 2012, the two companies merged to create Stratasys Ltd. — Israeli-domiciled, dual-headquartered, and instantly the world's largest pure-play additive manufacturing company. The merger combined FDM's industrial installed base with PolyJet's precision capabilities.
The product platform
Stratasys operates four distinct 3D printing technology platforms: FDM (fused deposition modeling), PolyJet (multi-material jetting), SAF (selective absorption fusion), and P3 (from Origin acquisition). GrabCAD Print is the software platform that unifies workflow across all four.
FDM. The legacy platform for functional prototypes and manufacturing tools. The F900 — Stratasys's largest FDM system — is deployed across aerospace (Boeing, Airbus), automotive, and defense. The US Navy acquired 25 F900 systems for installation on battleships.
PolyJet. Multi-material, multi-color jetting for design verification, medical models, and dental applications. From the Israeli Objet Geometries side of the merger.
SAF and P3. Advanced polymer systems for production-volume applications and high-precision manufacturing.
The 2023 M&A war
2023 was the most contested year in 3D printing M&A history. Stratasys faced three simultaneous takeover attempts and survived all of them. In May 2023, Stratasys and Desktop Metal announced a $1.8 billion all-stock merger that ultimately failed. 3D Systems launched a counter-bid; Stratasys rejected it. Nano Dimension, with a 15%+ Stratasys stake, launched a hostile tender offer; the board unanimously rejected it.
The aftermath: Nano Dimension acquired Desktop Metal for $179.3 million in April 2025 (a fraction of the $1.8 billion merger value). By July 2025, Desktop Metal was bankrupt under Nano ownership.
Markforged acquisition (2026)
Stratasys announced a definitive agreement to acquire Markforged — a wholly owned Nano subsidiary — for $42.5 million in cash. Markforged generated approximately $70 million in revenue in 2025, including metal binder jetting product lines. The acquisition gives Stratasys an immediate position in metal 3D printing — a capability CEO Zeif had identified as strategic priority but deferred until the technology was mature.
Zeif's strategy: polymer first, then metal
Dr. Yoav Zeif joined as CEO from McKinsey's Tel Aviv office. His strategic framework: consolidate polymer platform for production-scale manufacturing first, then expand into metals. Under Zeif, Stratasys acquired RPS, Xaar 3D, Origin, and Covestro Additive Manufacturing — all polymer-focused. The Markforged acquisition marks planned expansion into metal.
The US Navy F900 deployment — 25 systems on battleships with full ROI achieved within months — is the reference case for production-adoption thesis.
Revenue and outlook
Q4 2025 revenue of $140 million was down from $150.4 million in Q4 2024, with a net loss of $18.9 million. Management has framed 2025 as a year of tighter cost control and improved cash flow in preparation for the next growth phase.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Stratasys Israeli? Stratasys is Israeli-domiciled, dual-headquartered in Rehovot and Minnetonka. The Israeli engineering center (from Objet Geometries) is the primary R&D operation for PolyJet and advanced materials.
The Olam Editorial Team