Innovation
Fund
Our first community-powered innovation fund for the next era of 3D printing. Founding Sponsorships to honor the makers whose work contributed to the success of U1. Open Competition to reward the ones taking it further. We give back, you build forward — together on Snapmaker U1.
Provisional Winners
20 projects awarded by tier, in no particular order. Open for review Oct 9 – Oct 15, 2026. Questions? Email us before the list is confirmed.
Raise an objectionFirst Prize · $5,000 each
Full Multi-Nozzle Printing
Multi-nozzle slicing with fixed or dynamic layer heights per extruder, so different parts of one object print with different nozzle sizes.
Paxx12 Snapmaker U1 Extended Firmware
Custom repackaged U1 firmware that unlocks SSH access and debugging, plus a supporting stack for hardware-accelerated camera, touchscreen, and Klipper metrics.
multiACE
The first multi-material printing available for the U1. Drives up to 4 Anycubic ACE Pro / ACE 2 units (16 slots) with automatic mid-print swaps, Quad Replenish runout failover, one-click print prep, RFID spool management, and humidity-controlled drying.
Second Prize · $3,000 each
AFC-Klipper-Add-On
Hardware-agnostic automation framework bringing multi-color, multi-material support to Klipper. Works with open and commercial changers — and can raise U1's color ceiling.
BMCU-Klipper
Klipper-side hardware mod supporting 32 automated filament channels with parallel changes, independent routing, and pre-planned swaps.
Bespok3d
An app store and package manager for Klipper printers. One-click plugins, adapters, and modules — no terminal, no custom firmware builds.
FOrcaSlicer
Flexible OrcaSlicer for the Snapmaker U1 — Color Patch prints painted surfaces as a shell over a different-material core (soft grip on a rigid body, see-through layers), plus mixed nozzle sizes with per-nozzle line width & speed.
Miniskyline
Generates 3D models of cities, terrain, and celestial bodies — filling the gap left when Map2model shut down. 4,000+ previews in its first week.
OrcaSlicer-ImageMap
Maps smooth image textures onto model sides with no extra seams — switches CMYK-style patterns per layer and only tunes overhang.
Sidecar 16-Color MMU
A sidecar multi-material unit pushing U1 to 16 colors, shared and iterated openly in the Snapmaker community group.
Third Prize · $1,500 each
Bambu 2 Orca
Converts Bambu Studio and MakerWorld 3MF files into U1-compatible projects, keeping the original print optimizations without touching your U1 settings.
Kromacut
Online tool turning any 2D image into layered full-color print files. Adapts to your filament colors, previews in 3D, exports print-ready STL/3MF.
Lumina Studio
A hierarchical lightweight visual processing framework built for multi-color plane overprinting, adaptable across devices.
MakerWorld to Snapmaker U1
Browser extension that converts MakerWorld print configs into native U1 projects in one click. Runs entirely locally, no upload needed.
OrcaFS-NeotkoCM
Orca mod centered on full-spectrum layer blending — Neoweaving, color mixing, multi-channel and path blending to simulate fabric-like textures.
SindriCAD
Open-source parametric 3D editor for Linux, Windows, and Mac, U1-first — parametric modeling, color assignment, and project-adaptive export.
U1 Print Hub
Self-hosted dashboard for many U1 printers at once — progress, ETA, temps, remote filament swaps, gcode transfer with thumbnails, and usage stats.
U1 Slicer For Android
OrcaSlicer-based slicer for Android. Prep, slice, and upload straight from a phone or tablet — no desktop needed.
UI Rework for Full-Spectrum
Rebuilding the mixed-filament UI for OrcaSlicer's Full Spectrum branch with ratdoux — new sidebar, three filament card types, a management dialog.
ditherforge
Full-color texture prep for 4-color printing. Loads GLB/OBJ, picks colors from your inventory, dithers to match the source, repairs non-manifold meshes.
What the community built.
Slicing engines, firmware, hardware mods, CAD tools, converters, and things we never saw coming. Every one of them is someone betting their weekends on U1.
Phase 1 is in evaluation.
Submissions closed September 7, 2026. 66 projects made it in — the committee and the community are scoring them now.
Voting is open. Results post October 9.
Phase 1 closed on September 7. Community voting runs September 22–30, then we publish provisional results on October 9 and hold a review window until October 15 before the list is final.
Once provisional results are out, you have until October 15 to flag anything that looks wrong — write to community@snapmaker.com and we will look into it before confirming the list.
Frequently asked.
Who can apply for Phase 1 and Phase 2?
+Anyone. That said, having a U1 in hand makes debugging much easier. If you've got a great idea but no machine, email community@snapmaker.com and let's talk — we may sponsor a unit to help you get started. Go for it.
Do I need to own a U1 to participate — or what if my project requires more than one?
+Same as above — you don't strictly need a U1 to apply, but we strongly recommend getting one (yes, really 😄). Since the whole point of the fund is to push U1 further, having one in hand to debug on dramatically improves your chances of winning. If you've got a strong idea but no machine, or your project genuinely needs more than one U1, submit through the form above to reach our community team — we'll review your case and do our best to support you.
Does my project have to be 100% open source?
+No, open source isn't required. Our goal is to encourage innovation — if you have a great or even wild idea that pushes U1's boundaries, we want to see it. Closed-source projects are welcome too, as long as you have a working demo to share.
Can I submit multiple projects per phase?
+Yes. You can submit additional projects via the form on this page, or send them directly to community@snapmaker.com.
What if I started my project before June 9?
+No problem — in fact, it's often better. Mature projects tend to be stronger entries. We just ask that the project be meaningfully connected to U1.
How do I get considered for the Sponsorship Track?
+Reach out at community@snapmaker.com, or talk to one of our community admins in any Snapmaker channel. We review these conversations internally — if there's a fit, we'll get in touch to discuss what kind of support makes sense. And we welcome you telling us exactly what you need.
How is the community vote calculated?
+We're building an online voting system that will let users like projects directly on the site — that'll be the main data source. The exact weighting is still being finalized.
What if I disagree with the results?
+That's exactly what the review window is for. Provisional results go public on October 9, and you have until October 15 to write to community@snapmaker.com with anything that looks wrong — a miscounted vote, a project you think was misjudged, a rule you think we misapplied. We review every message before confirming the final list on October 15. Prizes are paid by November 13.
How is the cash prize delivered?
+Provisional results are published October 9 and confirmed October 15 after the review window. Phase 1 prizes are paid by November 13 via online bank transfer. Taxes are the winner's responsibility, but we'll do our best to provide any documentation you need.
Do I keep IP after winning?
+Absolutely. We're here to provide support, not take your work. For projects that meaningfully benefit U1, we may invite you to collaborate on bringing it further — but those details would be negotiated with you individually.