Continuous Composites Wins $17 Million in Damages in Patent Infringement Trial


2 minute read | April.16.2024

  • Siding with an Orrick trial team, a federal jury in the U.S. District Court of Delaware unanimously found for client Continuous Composites Inc. in a patent infringement case against Markforged, Inc.
  • The jury found that Markforged infringed Continuous Composites’ patent by selling infringing 3D printers. The jury awarded $17 million in past damages for sales of continuous fiber printers, finding that Markforged infringed on one of Continuous Composites’ foundational patents, U.S. Patent 11,173,660, and rejecting Markforged’s argument that it invented it first.
  • The jury awarded over $17 Million in past damages for sales of the infringing Markforged products from November 16, 2021 through December 31, 2023.In post-trial proceedings, Continuous Composites, a leader in the development and sale of 3D printing technology for advanced composites, will ask the Court to set a rate for ongoing royalties for Markforged’s infringement by sales of infringing printers from 2024 through 2033.

“We are thankful for the jury’s diligence in recognizing Markforged’s infringement and our prior rights to Continuous Composites’ foundational patents.  It confirms the value of our technology that the team has been working hard on since 2012, and we are committed to protecting our patents from those who wrongfully use them,” stated Steve Starner, CEO at Continuous Composites.

The Orrick team was composed of partners Rob Shwarts, Christopher Higgins, Vann Pearce and associate Rose Sun.