Young 3D Printing Pioneer Crowned West Midlands 'Leader of the Year'

By Anushka Malhotra

1 minute 25 seconds

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Quick Read: Mitchell Barnes of RYSE 3D has been named West Midlands 'Leader of the Year' for his transformative impact on the 3D printing industry and global hypercar manufacturing from his Warwickshire base.

Mitchell Barnes, the 28-year-old founder of RYSE 3D, has been named West Midlands ‘Leader of the Year’ after clinching two major accolades at the Business Desk’s West Midlands Leadership Awards.

Recognised for his trailblazing work in the 3D printing industry, Barnes walked away with both the Company Leader of the Year (up to 50 employees) and the prestigious overall Leader of the Year award. His win underscores a remarkable journey—from starting RYSE 3D in his mother’s garage to becoming a key player in global hypercar manufacturing.

Photo: Mitchell Barnes, Photo Credit: RYSE 3D

The Warwickshire-based company, now turning over more than £5 million, supplies parts to 23 of the world’s leading hypercar projects and has doubled its workforce in the past 18 months. Judges praised Mitchell’s visionary leadership, commercial strategy, and commitment to mentoring future engineering talent through in-house training schemes.

“Never did I think I’d win one award, let alone the top title,” said Mitchell. “These honours show what’s possible when you believe in your vision and aren’t afraid to challenge industry norms.”

A standout moment in RYSE 3D’s recent growth was the development of LANDR—a powerful, in-house engineered large-format FDM printer that delivers industrial-grade performance at a fraction of the cost and footprint of its competitors. Born from necessity, LANDR not only supports RYSE 3D’s own production but is now available commercially, offering SMEs and innovators access to high-quality, large-scale additive manufacturing.

LANDR’s 500x500x500mm build volume enables rapid prototyping and end-use production across sectors including automotive, aerospace, healthcare, and consumer goods. Its UK-built design has helped RYSE 3D gain momentum as a technology manufacturer in its own right, with external sales of the printer growing monthly. Mitchell added:

“We’re proud that LANDR is built in Britain and making a global impact. It’s now producing thousands of parts every month, and we’re just getting started—more LANDR products are already in the pipeline.”

With accolades in hand and innovation at the core, RYSE 3D is poised to continue disrupting the 3D printing industry—pushing boundaries and proving what’s possible through bold leadership and homegrown talent.

What's new

DigiSpinWM Pilot Celebrates Milestone as 11 Investor-Ready Innovations Emerge in the West Midlands

The DigiSpinWM pilot programme, a bold initiative designed to accelerate the spin-out of digital and advanced manufacturing innovations in the West Midlands, has marked a key milestone with a showcase event in Birmingham, unveiling 11 investor-ready ventures developed over the past six months.

Transforming Ideas into Investment Opportunities

Backed by Research England and delivered through a partnership between the University of Wolverhampton, Coventry University, and Birmingham City University via the West Midlands Combined Universities, the programme set out to test a collaborative model for commercialising innovation more efficiently and effectively.

In just six months, DigiSpinWM has:

- Assessed over 40 high-potential technologies for commercial viability
- Delivered tailored support to participants on spin-out strategy and intellectual property development
- Nurtured 11 ventures to investment readiness
- Developed a shared framework for technology transfer across participating universities

The recent showcase celebrated these achievements, spotlighting innovations spanning early-stage development to near-market solutions with the potential for significant societal and economic impact.

A Regional Model for Innovation

Ceri Jones, Director of Research & Enterprise at the University of Wolverhampton, reflected on the programme’s success:

The DigiSpinWM pilot has been a transformative journey. Seeing 11 investor-ready ventures emerge from such a collaborative, regional approach shows what’s possible when we unify efforts across institutions. These spinouts will drive real-world change and position the West Midlands at the forefront of digital and advanced manufacturing.

The pilot’s success is also credited to a strong ecosystem of academic mentors, business advisors, and industry reviewers who provided essential support and guidance to participants.

The showcase event featured live pitches from select ventures to an audience of investors, stakeholders, and innovation leaders, marking a key step towards unlocking the funding required to bring these innovations to market.

With the DigiSpinWM model proving its value, the programme signals a new chapter for spin-out activity in the West Midlands—one built on collaboration, shared infrastructure, and investment-ready innovation.

By Anushka Malhotra

8 Jun