“We are so grateful to MakerBot and its partners for undertaking this mission,” said Charles Best, founder of DonorsChoose.org. “Thanks to this movement, hundreds of thousands of students will have the opportunity to make and innovate in their own classrooms.”

“Initiatives like the MakerBot Academy are further examples of how New York City’s technology community is leading the way to help young people be better prepared for their future careers,” said Rachel Haot, New York City’s Chief Digital Officer. “Collaboration and education are key components to keep our workforce competitive and innovative.”

Here’s how it works:

Visit DonorsChoose.org and pledge your support. Individuals and corporations can help fund the MakerBot Academy 3D Printing package by making a tax-deductible donation via DonorsChoose.org.

Then tell schoolteachers about the MakerBot Academy program and encourage them to register on DonorsChoose.org right away. Students and their community can also help teachers raise the additional funds they need to bring the MakerBot Academy 3D Printing bundle into the classroom.

Participate in the Thingiverse Challenge to develop models teachers can use to improve Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.

For more information on MakerBot Academy, visit makerbot.com/Academy. For more information on supporting or registering for the program, visit DonorsChoose.org.

About MakerBot

MakerBot, a subsidiary of Stratasys, Ltd., is leading the Next Industrial Revolution by setting the standards in reliable and affordable desktop 3D printing. Founded in 2009, MakerBot has built the largest installed base of desktop 3D printers sold to innovative and industry-leading customers worldwide, including engineers, architects, designers, educators and consumers. The MakerBot 3D Ecosystem drives accessibility and rapid adoption of 3D printing and includes: Thingiverse.com, the MakerBot Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner, the MakerBot Replicator line of Desktop 3D Printers, MakerWare software, MakerCare, the MakerBot retail store, and strategic partnerships with top-tier brands. MakerBot has been honored with many accolades, including Popular Mechanics’ “Overall Winner” for best 3D printer, Time Magazine’s “Best Inventions of 2012,” Popular Mechanics’ “Editor’s Choice Award,” Popular Science’s “Product of the Year,” Fast Company’s “One of the World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Consumer Electronics,” and many more. Join the Next Industrial Revolution by following MakerBot at makerbot.com.

About Stratasys

Stratasys Ltd. (Nasdaq: SSYS), headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn. and Rehovot, Israel, manufactures 3D printers and materials for prototyping and production. The company’s patented FDM^® and PolyJet^® processes produce prototypes and manufactured goods directly from 3D CAD files or other 3D content. Systems include 3D printers for idea development, prototyping and direct digital manufacturing. Stratasys subsidiaries include MakerBot and Solidscape and the company operates the RedEye On Demand digital-manufacturing service. Stratasys has more than 1500 employees, holds over 500 granted or pending additive manufacturing patents globally, and has received more than 20 awards for its technology and leadership. Online at: stratasys.com or blog.stratasys.com.

About America Makes

America Makes is The National Additive Manufacturing Innovation Institute. As the national accelerator for additive manufacturing (AM) and 3D printing (3DP), America Makes is the nation’s leading and collaborative partner in AM and 3DP technology research, discovery, creation, and innovation. Structured as a public-private partnership with member organizations from industry, academia, government, non-government agencies, and workforce and economic development resources, America Makes is working to innovate and accelerate AM and 3DP to increase the United States global manufacturing competitiveness. Based in Youngstown, Ohio, America Makes is the pilot institute for up to 15 National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) institutes. For more information about America Makes visit americamakes.us.

About DonorsChoose.org

DonorsChoose.org is an online charity that makes it easy for anyone to help students in need. To support a classroom, you can make a donation of any size at www.donorschoose.org. Public school teachers from every corner of America post classroom project requests on DonorsChoose.org. Requests range from pencils for a poetry-writing unit, to violins for a school recital, to microscope slides for a biology class. Individuals can browse the requests and give any amount to the one that inspires them. Once a project reaches its funding goal, DonorsChoose.org sends the materials to the school. For more information visit DonorsChoose.org.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements