Protolabs Named to Business Insider’s America’s Most Innovative Businesses 2027 List

Protolabs gains external validation of its innovation efforts with inclusion in Business Insider’s 2027 ranking of America’s Most Innovative Businesses.

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MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Protolabs (NYSE: PRLB), the world’s leading provider of digital manufacturing services, today announced it has been recognized as one of America’s Most Innovative Businesses by Business Insider. The digital manufacturer was recognized for its extensive library of patents for manufacturing technology, ongoing investment in research and development, and strong peer sentiment as a cutting-edge leader within the industry.

Protolabs’ innovation is supported by a strong intellectual property portfolio and sustained investment in research and development. The company currently holds more than 120 patents and trade secrets covering manufacturing practices that enable speed and quality control with custom parts produced as fast as the same day.

“We are proud to represent the manufacturing industry as one of Business Insider’s Most Innovative Businesses,” said Suresh Krishna, President and CEO at Protolabs. “Manufacturing is evolving rapidly as physical AI and digital infrastructure reshape how products are designed, developed, and brought to market. Our customers are moving faster than ever and need a manufacturing partner that can keep pace with their product development needs. Our ongoing investment enables our employees to build the future of manufacturing with AI-influenced hardware like intelligent machines, cobots, and vision systems. Combined with a relentless focus on continuous improvement and a drive for breakthrough ideas, our team is positioned to help customers adapt to changing demand and grow with the industries we serve.”

Business Insider’s America’s Most Innovative Businesses 2027 is based on an evaluation of more than 4,000 publicly traded U.S. companies across three core pillars: reputation, patent impact, and research and development investment. Developed in coordination with research firm Plant-A Insights Group, the inaugural ranking recognized the top 500 companies demonstrating innovation across industries, with the evaluation screening companies that met specific size and listing criteria.

Read the full list of America’s Most Innovation Businesses at Business Insider.

About Protolabs

Protolabs (NYSE: PRLB) is the world’s fastest manufacturing service enabling companies across every industry to streamline production of quality parts throughout the entire product life cycle. From custom prototyping to end-use production, we support product developers, engineers, and supply chain teams along every phase of their manufacturing journey. Get started now at protolabs.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260904615691/en/

Media Contacts:
Protolabs
Brent Renneke, 763-479-7704
Corporate Communications Manager
brent.renneke@protolabs.com

Allie Potter
Skyya PR for Protolabs
allie@skyya.com
218-766-8856

Investor Relations Contacts:
Protolabs
Ryan Johnsrud, 612-225-4873
Senior Manager, IR and Corporate Development
ryan.johnsrud@protolabs.com

Gateway Group, Inc.
949-574-3860
PRLB@gateway-grp.com

Source: Protolabs

Key Terms

trade secrets regulatory

Confidential knowledge or information a company keeps hidden—such as formulas, manufacturing methods, customer lists, pricing strategies, or internal processes—that gives it a competitive edge and is protected through secrecy rather than patents. Investors care because trade secrets can sustain profits and market position like a chef’s secret recipe or a sports team’s playbook; if exposed or lost, they can weaken future revenue, increase legal risk, and reduce company value.

cobots technical

Cobots are collaborative robots designed to work alongside humans on tasks like assembly, packing, inspection or data collection, combining physical automation with sensors and simple controls so they can operate safely near people. For investors they matter because cobots can raise productivity, cut labor costs and shorten production cycles much like adding an extra skilled pair of hands, affecting capital spending, profit margins and the competitive landscape of manufacturers and service providers.

digital manufacturing technical

Digital manufacturing is the use of software, sensors, data and automation to design, plan, monitor and control production processes instead of relying only on manual steps and paper records. It matters to investors because it can change how quickly and cheaply products are made, how predictable output and quality are, and how easily a factory adapts to demand—think of it like replacing paper maps and analog tools with GPS, apps and automation to run a business more efficiently.