Ellen Kullman takes the reins as CEO of Carbon, a 3D printing start-up worth over $2.5 billion

Ellen J. Kullman, former Chairman and CEO of DuPont, and President and CEO of Carbon.

Former DuPont Chairman and CEO Ellen Kullman is taking the reins as President and CEO of Carbon, a 3-D printing tech venture best known for its manufacturing partnerships with Adidas, Ford and Ikea.

Carbon's founding CEO Joseph DeSimone is stepping into the role of Executive Chairman of the board. Kullman, who has served on the board of directors at Carbon since 2016, told CNBC she views her appointment as a partnership with the founder, who she described as a scientist and storyteller, well-paired with her expertise in business process, operations and scaling companies globally.

During her tenure at DuPont, Kullman achieved double-digit growth in DuPont's "safety and protection" division, which makes materials like Kevlar and Nomex that are used to make body armor, helmets, suits, gloves and other protective gear for firefighters, construction workers, police and more.

Joseph DeSimone, CEO of Carbon.

Adam Jeffery | CNBC

Carbon's printers work with resins, elastomers and "continuous liquid interface printing" technology, meaning they can form objects with the same kind of strength you'd see in traditional thermoplastics, or can form flexible lattices. The objects they print range from car parts to the mid-soles in Adidas Futurecraft and Alphaedge shoes. Carbon's machines also print more rapidly than other additive manufacturing systems.

Based in Redwood City, Carbon has raised at least $260 million in venture and growth funding, and attained a valuation around $2.5 billion. Investors include Madrone Capital, Baillie Gifford, BMW Group, GV (the venture investing arm of Google parent company Alphabet), Sequoia Capital and others.

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