The city of Brest, located in the department of Finistère, is the second largest French port after Toulon. With its 139,386 inhabitants, it is a major French metropolis. Marked by its maritime past, it has been home to the Académie de Marine since the 18th century. Thanks to its port activity, the city of Brest is a hub of the naval industry, and the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle was built there. Every four years, the International Sea Festival also takes place in Brest, proof of its maritime roots.

Despite this economic footprint of the naval environment, Brest is developing an activity and diversifying. Various sectors can be linked to the field of 3D printing, both in the industrial and tertiary sectors. Various competitiveness clusters have been created, notably the Pôle de Mer Bretagne, the Pôle Image et Réseaux and the Pôle Valorial (on life sciences and agri-food). A Brest-Iroise Technopole also brings together the major players in Brest's economic life, bringing together various sectors.