Gelato Wins Fast Company Recognition for Print-on-Demand Innovation

Gelato, the Oslo-based print-on-demand platform, has been included in Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies of 2025, selected in the Manufacturing category. The recognition comes as the company continues to expand its network of local production partners globally and emphasises its mission to shift manufacturing away from centralised mass production towards distributed, on-demand production.

Fast Company evaluates thousands of businesses annually for its flagship list, selecting those driving measurable progress through innovation. The award places Gelato alongside other companies harnessing artificial intelligence, building customer loyalty, and bringing fresh ideas to established industries.

Gelato operates two main software products. GelatoConnect serves print service providers (PSPs), consolidating procurement, production scheduling, and logistics into a single platform. GelatoCreate caters to ecommerce businesses and creators, enabling them to design and sell custom products without holding inventory, with orders automatically routed to the nearest local production hub. The company's network spans 250+ production partners in 32 countries.

Why Local Production Matters

The company's core proposition sits at the intersection of several trends reshaping manufacturing. E-commerce and the creator economy have triggered demand for small-batch, personalised products rather than large inventories. Local production reduces shipping distances, speeds delivery times, and lowers waste from overproduction—appeals that resonate with both businesses seeking efficiency and consumers concerned about sustainability.

Chief Executive Henrik Müller-Hansen emphasised the sustainability dimension: "As our operating system is deployed in more production hubs worldwide, local production will accelerate—making consumption smarter, greener, and deliveries faster." He credited the recognition to customers and the company's 300-person team, describing them as people who "challenge the status quo every day."

The award reflects how Gelato has built a scaled network where, unlike traditional centralised manufacturing, products are made closer to the end customer. For print service providers, the efficiency gains from automation and routing enable them to compete for smaller, more frequent orders without needing capital-intensive investment.

From Unicorn to Strategic Focus

Gelato achieved unicorn status in 2021 with backing from major venture and growth-stage investors including SoftBank, multiple growth equity firms, and Goldman Sachs Asset Management. The company operates 16 offices across continents and employs 482 people. Over recent years, it has shifted from purely a print-on-demand marketplace towards becoming software infrastructure for the print industry, investing heavily in tools that help production service providers optimise their operations, manage workflows, and scale their businesses.

The Fast Company recognition validates this strategic pivot. Print is an industry often overlooked in technology discourse despite encompassing billions in global annual spending and remaining highly fragmented. By providing software that helps PSPs automate operations and capture demand from ecommerce and creators, Gelato is positioning itself as a platform operator and software provider rather than simply another marketplace.

The timing reflects broader momentum in manufacturing. The industry is increasingly moving away from the centralised-factory model towards distributed, software-enabled networks where production happens closer to customers. Gelato's award places it within this wider shift and illustrates how European companies are building scaled models that combine digital tools with physical infrastructure distributed across multiple countries. For startups and established manufacturers alike, the model suggests there is commercial value in software that connects dispersed production capacity rather than consolidating it.

The recognition also speaks to investor appetite for businesses serving unglamorous but essential industries. Manufacturing software and infrastructure plays remain quieter corners of the venture market compared to consumer or enterprise SaaS, yet they can reach significant scale by solving real operational problems across distributed networks.