Velo3D, a provider of metal 3D printing solutions, has entered a USD 8 million licensing and support agreement with SpaceX, a space exploration company.

SpaceX will pay USD 5 million for the technology license and USD 3 million for related engineering and support services as part of the agreement. The deal grants SpaceX a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, and perpetual license to use, manufacture, and modify Velo3D's additive manufacturing technology for internal operations (specifically rocket and spacecraft manufacturing). This includes access to existing technology and improvements made over the next 12 months.

Velo3D will retain full ownership of its intellectual property, while SpaceX will gain ownership of any improvements it makes to the technology during its use. Additionally, SpaceX will have the right to sublicense Velo3D’s technology to affiliates or third parties, given that they are not Velo3D’s competitors and that the sublicenses are limited to providing services to SpaceX.

Analyst Quicktake : There have been several product partnerships entered into in recent months, to manufacture metal-based space exploration items. This includes WAAM3D partnering with ISC, Cranfield University, and Aichi Sangyo, to develop reusable space transport vehicles (August), and Elementum 3D partnering with RPM Innovations to develop large-scale aerospike rocket nozzle.