MakerBot Wants You to Buy a Teacher a 3D Printer

Bre Pettis was the first kid on his block to get an Apple II computer. The device was intriguing, and all his neighborhood friends tinkered with it endlessly even though it served little practical purpose. Pettis went on to start 3D-printing company MakerBot Industries, and he sees its products in the same light: They may seem silly at first, but the kids will figure them out.

To get kids playing with 3D printers, Pettis is emulating Apple in another way. On Tuesday the company announced an ambitious plan to get MakerBot starter kits into classrooms. Apple has always been good at getting into schools: It sold 1.1 million iPads to educational institutions in the quarter ended in June. These contracts represent a lucrative business opportunity for tech companies—and explain why everyone from News Corp. to Amazon.com is scrambling to get their tablets in front of children.