COLUMBIA, S.C., July 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- ZVerse, leading developers of 3D content creation applications for full color 3D printing, today announced a strategic partnership and commercial agreement with 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD) to advance applications and market opportunities for full color 3D printing.

As part of the agreement, ZVerse and 3D Systems will co-develop ZVerse's patent pending post processing technology for producing high gloss and moisture resistant full color 3D printed products. In addition, the companies will collaborate on development and marketing of 3D Systems' Photobooth technology using ZVerse's licensed content and distribution channels.

"We are pleased to partner with ZVerse, combining our technology and engineering expertise with their deep experience in application development and content creation to advance full color 3D printing," said Rajeev Kulkarni, Chief Product Officer, 3D Systems. "We are excited to leverage their process know-how and expansive distribution network to expand content and coverage for our Photobooth technology."

In addition to the partnership, ZVerse announced that it has closed on a $3.5 million Series A funding round from Mosley Ventures, Capital A Partners and strategic investors. Top regional entrepreneurial angel investors in earlier rounds, Walter Alessandrini and Scot Wingo, participated in the Series A round, also. Wei-Chun Tai, of Mosley Ventures, joins the ZVerse board.

The funding will be used to grow the company's leadership position in full color 3D printing applications for licensed content of major brands and to commercialize ZVerse's proprietary B2B 3D content creation platform, LAYR.

"The ZVerse software platform is core to unlocking 2D image content for 3D printing. We believe ZVerse is uniquely positioned to help solve 3D printing's content problem as the 3D printing market trends towards exponential growth," says Wei-Chun Tai.

LAYR enables any business to take advantage of the benefits of 3D printing and, as a result, helps expand the reach of 3D printing into new markets.

"The strategic relationship with 3D Systems and the completion of our Series A funding gives ZVerse the resources and expertise to continue our leadership position in the full color 3D printed content arena," said John Carrington, Co-Founder & CEO, ZVerse. "Additionally, we are seeing strong inbound demand for our underlying 3D content creation and management platform for 3D printing, LAYR. We look forward to exploring this opportunity as well as our direct-to-consumer model with major brands."

About ZVerse

ZVerse develops 3D content creation and production applications for 3D printing. Applications powered by Layr from ZVerse have been used by Fortune 100 companies and small businesses alike. Companies trust ZVerse to extend their brand with 3D print technology. ZVerse is licensed with over 36 collegiate organizations, including the University of Notre Dame and University of Oregon, to produce full color 3D printed sports memorabilia. ZVerse maintains the largest library of officially licensed 3D printable content for the sports industry worldwide. Founded in April 2013, ZVerse is headquartered in Columbia, SC.

More information is available at www.zverse.com or email info@zverse.com, 803-764-0353.

About Mosley Ventures

Mosley Ventures is a venture capital fund investing in early stage technology startups in Atlanta and the Southeast. We primarily invest in the following sectors - security software, mobility and wireless, big data and healthcare IT. Sig Mosley is the Managing Partner of Mosley Ventures. Since 1990, Sig has been the most prolific southeast investor in 122 startups with 83 liquidity events. Sig is currently the record holder of the largest southeast venture deal with the $5.7 billion acquisition of Tradex by Ariba.

http://www.mosleyventures.com/

About Capital A Partners

Captial A Partners is based in Charleston, SC and invests in early stage companies in the southeastern United States. "Cap A" also invests in Nordic-based companies out of its Stockholm, Sweden office. The fund invests in a variety of sectors including technology, consumer products, healthcare, materials technologies and cleantech.

http://www.capitalapartners.com/

About 3D Systems

3D Systems provides the most advanced and comprehensive 3D digital design and fabrication solutions available today, including 3D printers, print materials and cloud-sourced custom parts. Its powerful ecosystem transforms entire industries by empowering professionals and consumers everywhere to bring their ideas to life using its vast material selection, including plastics, metals, ceramics and edibles. 3DS' leading personalized medicine capabilities save lives and include end-to-end simulation, training and planning, and printing of surgical instruments and devices for personalized surgery and patient specific medical and dental devices. Its democratized 3D digital design, fabrication and inspection products provide seamless interoperability and incorporate the latest immersive computing technologies. 3DS' products and services disrupt traditional methods, deliver improved results and empower its customers to manufacture the future now.

Leadership Through Innovation and Technology


    --  3DS invented 3D printing with its Stereolithography (SLA) printer and
        was the first to commercialize it in 1989.
    --  3DS invented Selective Laser Sintering (SLS) printing and was the first
        to commercialize it in 1992.
    --  3DS invented the ColorJet Printing (CJP) class of 3D printers and was
        the first to commercialize 3D powder-based systems in 1994.
    --  3DS invented MultiJet Printing (MJP) printers and was the first to
        commercialize it in 1996.
    --  3DS pioneered virtual surgical simulation (VSS(TM)) and virtual surgical
        planning (VSP®), and its leading 3D healthcare products and services
        help doctors achieve better patient outcomes.

Today its comprehensive range of 3D printers is the industry's benchmark for production-grade manufacturing in aerospace, automotive, patient specific medical device and a variety of consumer, electronic and fashion accessories.

More information on the company is available at www.3dsystems.com.

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SOURCE ZVerse, Inc.