Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Protomold Investment Company, LLC
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
02/23/2012		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
Proto Labs Inc [PRLB]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
2600 EAGAN WOODS DRIVE, SUITE 150		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director __X__ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

EAGAN, MN 55121		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
___ Form filed by One Reporting Person
_X_ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 3,189,648 (1)
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Protomold Investment Company, LLC
2600 EAGAN WOODS DRIVE
SUITE 150
EAGAN, MN 55121		   X   X    
Smith Brian K
5540 PIONEER CREEK DRIVE
MAPLE PLAIN, MN 55359		   X      

Signatures

/s/ Catherine M. Verschelden, Attorney-in-Fact for Protomold Investment Company, LLC 02/23/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date
/s/ Catherine M. Verschelden, Attorney-in-Fact for Brian K. Smith 02/23/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) These shares are directly owned by Protomold Investment Company, LLC. Brian Smith is the President of Protomold Investment Company, LLC and a director of the Issuer. Mr. Smith disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares except to the extent of his pecuniary interest.

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