3D printing and 3D electronics are two closely related, disruptive manufacturing technologies that will radically change our way of designing and producing in the long run. In the northern strategic goals in areas such as health, energy, and water technology, these 3D making technologies can make a difference as an enabler for further development. However, due to the steep learning curve and required investment in equipment and time, the speed at which these 3D-making technologies are embraced is relatively low. This while they are of great value to the manufacturing industry in the North of the Netherlands.To develop a collaboration between northern initiatives and knowledge institutions in the field of 3D printing and 3D electronics in the fields of knowledge development, knowledge sharing, knowledge dissemination and support for northern companies as well as training institutes to increase the level of knowledge of these technologies and to use them for business opportunities.Using each other’s facilities and infrastructure will create a Virtual Shared Facility which includes various techniques for 3D metal printing, 3D plastic/composite printing, 3D glass printing, and 3D electronics in the North Netherlands. This Virtual Shared Facility will be accessible to SMEs and educational institutions. Combined with joint knowledge development about these 3D-making technologies, sharing this knowledge, and realising applications, the speed with which these technologies are embraced will be significantly increased.To make the collaboration on 3D-making technologies lasting, there is the intention to create a community for the North Netherlands during the 3D Print Kompas period.In the north, a number of (industrial) organisations are active in the field of 3D printing and 3D electronics and in a number of locations there are now associated systems that are widely used for research. This research began mainly fundamentally but is increasingly application-oriented. Four initiators started an exploration to come up with a joint plan for the next step: the use and embedding of these technologies for the manufacturing industry in the North of the Netherlands. These initiators are:•Innovation cluster Drachten (from the Advanced Additive Project Group)•The 3D-MID project group from the Region of Smart Factories collaboration (which ends this year)•Association Industrial 3D Print Cluster North-Nederland•Binder3D, Industrial 3D Printing Laboratory Connecting and Unlocking Industrial Partnerships in one joint initiative, with the participation of knowledge partners the University of Groningen, ASTRON, the Centre of Expertise Smart Sustainable Manufacturing of NHL Stenden, and the Netherlands Air and Space Centre (NLR).