As 3D printing community mourns Sanjay Mortimer who passed away recently, E3D hinted the creation of a foundation in his honour. Much loved in the community and beyond, Sanjay will be missed for many years to come, and such a foundation can be a great tribute to his dedication and contribution to 3D printing.
Table of Contents
- Remembering Sanjay Mortimer
- Sanjay Mortimer Foundation
- Charity Streams
- The SMF Auction
- Sanjay Mortimer RepRap Festival
Remembering Sanjay Mortimer
The sad news came out on December the 1st, with the announcement from E3D, the company that Sanjay co-founded and put his heart in. In the statement, the company acknowledges Sanjay’s significant impact on the business and the whole industry and promises to follow his vision in the new decade.

3D printing community took the news as a big shock. And it is understandable as Sanjay kept being busy with the interviews and appearances on the trade shows and various media channels, and nothing indicated that anything could happen to this 32-year-old, talented, young man.
Sanjay Mortimer Foundation
Various threads on social media have started to remember Sanjay, the official one by E3D can be found on Discord. Many good ideas for the foundation focus have been suggested by posting on E3D’s Discord Sanjay-foundation channel. There were calls to support STEM, local makerspace, scholarship-in-residence, and others.
While the Sanjay Foundation has not been officially launched, yet, Clare Difazio, Head of Marketing and Product Strategy at E3D, confirmed that there are plans to create one in Sanjay Mortimer’s name. Clare Difazio, comments:
The foundation will take us some time to set up correctly so no new news on it for now – other than we’re certain we’ll be doing something.
– SMF. After a few years, the Sanjay Mortimer Foundation (SMF) became an officially Registered Charity! The Charity Commission granted charity number 1205708. To find more details, please visit the official SMF website.
Charity Streams
Some leading community members took the initiative on their own channels. Thomas Sanladerer, announced the sad news via his channel, with the pledge to contribute to the donations to E3D’s choice of charity.
Joel Telling, 3D Printing Nerd, and other community members loved Thomas’s initiative and matched the pledge.
"Nerding out about things is the glue that sticks us all together" – Exactly this.
$1 USD per 1,000 views on 3D Printing Nerd in December going to a charity of @E3DOnline's choosing.
WONDERFUL idea @toms3dp, I'm in. https://t.co/o1zulupylR
— Joel Telling – 3D Printing Nerd ✋ (@joeltelling) December 2, 2021
Joseph Casha, Breaks’n’Makes, Christmas Charity Stream In Aid Of E3D Sanjay Foundation on YouTube generated €11,210.05 ($12,694.99).
Some ideas posted in support of the foundation went even further. For example, selling the E3D products, with Sanjay’s name, or with his famous hairstyle silhouette.

(Image: E3D)
In 3D printing, there is a handful of entrepreneur-manufacturers who are not afraid to be in the spotlight promoting their products, truly believing in them, igniting passion for 3D printing in those around them. Sanjay was a true inspiration for many.

Design: Commemorative Hex Tile
©3DWithUs – Print and Photo: Max Funkner
The 1st SM Foundation Auction
The auction was live-streamed on YouTube. Joel Telling stepped in as an auctioneer to help the bidding process. Foundation for gifted & talented potential engineers, who lack the financial or practical resources to fulfill their potential, focusing on those, who, like Sanjay, have ADHD. Auction via Jumblebee raised £32,618. Follow hashtag #SanjayMortimerFoundation
Sanjay Mortimer RepRap Festival
The Sanjay Mortimer RepRap Festival (SMRRF) is an annual event that celebrates the innovative and community-driven spirit of the 3D printing world. Named in honor of Sanjay Mortimer, a key contributor to the community, SMRRF highlights the latest advancements in 3D printing technology, featuring workshops, presentations, and exhibitions. Read more and SMRRF yearly highlights here…
Sources:
E3D Official Website
SMF Official Website