Printing the Non-Sexy Manufacturing with Catalyst Samantha Snabes

From stalking astronauts as a kid to launching a large-format 3D printer on Kickstarter, Major Samantha Snabes has taken bold, thoughtful risks. She’s the Co-Founder & Catalyst at re:3D, the company behind Gigabot — a large-format industrial 3D printer that can run on polymers or shredded plastic waste.

In this BYAT episode, Sam breaks down how she built a mission-driven team that will “run through brick walls,” why she doesn’t believe in competitors, and how she balances bootstrapping, research, and service in the Air National Guard. Hear how re:3D grew from a NASA side project to printers in 50+ countries — all fueled by grit, curiosity, and an abundance mindset.

#3DPrinting #AdditiveManufacturing #HardwareStartup

🎙️ The Bring You A Team (BYAT) Podcast spotlights veteran leaders building teams with resilience, clarity, and impact. Hosted by Freddie Kim of MilSpec Talent.

🔔 If this episode helped you level up your team: like, subscribe, and share with a veteran leader who needs it.

Connect with our guest:
🎖 Air Force & Air National Guard Officer. 🖨 Co-Founder & Catalyst at re:3D 🪐 Social entrepreneurship leader with NASA roots.
🔗   / samantha-snabes-68019248  
🛡️ https://re3d.org/
📘 Resources:
Engineers Without Borders – Volunteer engineering community where to explore global impact projects
https://ewb-usa.org/
NASA Johnson Space Center – Opportunity as a fellow to support hands-on NASA research
https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resourc...
Opportunity International – Micro-lending organization that shaped future of entrepreneurship and community empowerment
https://opportunity.org/
Startup Chile – Government-backed accelerator that early funding and a launchpad for their first large-format 3D printer
https://startupchile.org/
SBA-Spotlighted Journey of a 3D Printing Trailblazer
https://www.sba.gov/success-story/3d-...

⏱️ CHAPTERS:
01:39 – What Is re:3D?
Ingenious. Re:3D builds massive, affordable 3D printers that can even run on shredded plastic waste.

03:07 – Turning Trash Into Parts
How customers – from islands to the DoD – turn local waste into useful, large-scale prints.

05:01 – The Real Money in 3D Printing
Whjy fixtures, jigs, and “unsexy” tools are where 3D printing drives the most value.

06:16 – NASA Roots to Startup Chile
NASA and Engineers Without Borders sparked the idea for a big affordable printer and how Startup Chile pushed her to take the leap.

07:49 – Funded in 27 Hours
Their launch from a Startup Chile booth goes viral, taking re:3D from idea to fully funded in one day.

10:34 – No Competitors, Only Collaboration
How re:3D won in a high-cost market by going big and open, and why she focuses on growing the pie instead of fighting competitors.

13:19 – Building a Loyal Team
Reflections on early hires, long-term teammates, and what keeps people around to honor “grow through or with us” seasons.

17:52 – From Houston to Austin to Puerto Rico
Re:3D’s path from Chile to Houston to Austin, the launch of their Puerto Rico outpost, and why they shifted back to on-site work post-COVID.

20:38 – Chasing a Ghosted Supplier Across the Country
The wild story of a vendor disappearing and how it pushed Sam to version a product overnight and fly to California to protect customers.

25:50 – Hiring for Obsession, Not Just Experience
The re:3D screens for true 3D-printing passion through portfolios, projects, and a quirky application survey.

33:17 – Disneyland with Goats: Inside re:3D’s Culture
Re:3D’s unique culture – from chili cook-offs to goat-pen pumpkin carving and rapid-fire onboarding lunches.

37:35 – The Hardest Part: Letting People Go
Learning to handle misalignment sooner and help teammates transition with respect.

41:58 – From Space Camp Stalker to NASA Entrepreneur
From calling astronauts as a kid, flying an experiment on the Vomit Comet, shapes this path to NASA and re:3D.

48:28 – Lessons from a First Venture & Choosing Open Source
Sam's first startup shaped her views on consistency, the cost of patents, and why re:3D chose open-source hardware.

48:48 – Printing in Space & GigaLabs for Good
Re:3D’s long-term vision of printing in cislunar orbit and deploying containerized GigaLabs to turn waste into products globally.

53:03 – Building Your Own A-Team (and Enjoying the Ride)
Closing with advice to hire passion, address misalignment early, support people well, and appreciate the journey while you’re in it.