S5E38 Istvan Csanady | Shapr3D

Hello and welcome to another episode of The Being an Engineer podcast. Today, we are speaking with the founder and CEO of Shapr3D, a pioneering 3D modeling app that has transformed the CAD industry by making professional design tools more accessible and intuitive. Starting with a vision to create a powerful CAD tool for the iPad Pro, Shapr3D has expanded to macOS and Windows, gaining recognition like the Apple Design Award. Under István’s leadership, the company has continuously innovated, raising significant venture capital to support its growth.

István, thank you so much for being with us on the show today.

István: Hey Aaron, thanks for having me.

Aaron: So, tell us a little bit about Shapr3D. Most of our listeners are engineers and many of them know CAD well—they work in it daily, whether it’s SolidWorks, Creo, NX or something else. How does Shapr3D compare?

István: At Shapr3D, we are working on reimagining what CAD should be in the 21st century. We asked ourselves, "What would CAD look like if it were invented today?" We’re reinventing CAD from the ground up. We started as an iPad-only application, focusing on leveraging the touch and pen capabilities of the iPad. Over time, we added support for macOS and then Windows, broadening our reach. And just a few months ago, we launched our Vision Pro product. Our core principle is to question every aspect of how legacy CAD works and find better solutions for today's workflows. Traditional CAD systems were designed for workflows of the 1990s—they do a fantastic job at that. However, we think there are many opportunities to make CAD better suited to the modern work environment.

Aaron: What’s an example of one of the more modern workflows where you think Shapr3D really shines?

István: One of the biggest areas where Shapr3D shines is mobility. Traditional CAD lacks support for mobile devices—I'm not just talking about smartphones but devices like the iPad. Running traditional CAD systems, especially with more extensive designs, can be quite challenging even on a medium to high-end laptop. That's one of the areas where Shapr3D really excels. We perform incredibly well even on an iPad, where you can load and edit designs with 10,000 to 15,000 parts. We also run smoothly on mobile computers and laptops, making us uniquely suited for modern workflows. Another key differentiator of our product is that it's a native application that runs directly on your devices and stores data locally. You don't need an Internet connection to use it, which is particularly valuable for users in secure environments. However, we also offer a cloud backend that automatically synchronizes data across devices, facilitating collaboration. With our upcoming features, you'll be able to share a design with anyone easily—even if they don't have Shapr3D installed. They can open it in a web browser, add comments and give you feedback. Thanks to our next-generation cloud architecture, this works even in private clouds, so larger companies with their own AWS, Azure or Google Cloud backends can maintain complete control over their data without us having access to it. That's a massive benefit for enterprise customers who prioritize data security.

Aaron: That's impressive. It's easier to convey this over audio if you are able to share screens but since this is an audio-only podcast, can you describe how Shapr3D is easier to use than traditional CAD tools?

István: Sure, I'll do my best. Our workflow is very similar to traditional CAD systems because it’s a 3D parametric CAD system. You start with 2D sketches and then apply 3D operations like extrude or revolve. The general workflow will feel familiar to anyone who has used a parametric CAD system before. But what sets us apart is how we handle complexity. In software design, there are two types of complexity. One is the necessary complexity that allows you to build sophisticated models and design products. The other type is unnecessary complexity—the kind that arises from poor design decisions, outdated user interfaces or ad-hoc product development over decades. We’ve worked hard to eliminate that second type of complexity. We’ve kept the complexity needed for powerful 3D modeling but designed the interface to be as simple and intuitive as possible. It’s not just about UI and UX design; it’s about thousands of small decisions that reduce friction in the modeling process. We’re constantly refining the software to make sure it’s easy to learn and use, even for lower-frequency CAD users who might not work in CAD every day.

Aaron: That's a great approach. I own a business myself, as do you, so I'm curious about some of the business aspects of Shapr3D. At heart, entrepreneurs want to build products they love and use and hope that others feel the same. Do you agree with that? And can you tell me about your first sale—how did it come about and how did it make you feel?

István: Absolutely, I think that's spot on. Entrepreneurs are driven by a desire to build something they’re passionate about and the hope is always that others will find value in it, too. Regarding our first sale, I think of us having two "first sales." The very first one was seven years ago when we launched Shapr3D. Back then, the product was far from being enterprise-ready. We were initially focused on SMBs and individual creators, not even engineers because it was easier to build a product for SMBs and individual creators. On our launch day, a famous French industrial designer named Patrick Jouin bought a license. He’s known for designing Michelin-star restaurants in Paris and various street furniture around the city. Seeing his purchase come through was an incredible feeling. He was impressed by what we had built. He’s still a user today.

The second "first sale" came a few years ago when we signed our first major enterprise customer. That deal felt like a milestone because it showed us that we had crossed a threshold—we had cracked the enterprise market. This customer loved the product and saw its potential for their team, which validated the hard work we had put into making Shapr3D enterprise-ready. Unfortunately, I can't share details about this customer just yet but we’re hoping to announce a success story soon.

Aaron: That must have been a fantastic experience. What strategies have you used to scale Shapr3D over the years?

István: Scaling a product like a CAD system is definitely not for the faint-hearted. CAD software is one of the most complex types of software out there, and the market is highly educated about existing solutions. Almost every potential customer already has a CAD tool that they use, so we're not entering a market with millions of engineers waiting for a new solution—they're already using something. This makes the barrier to entry very high. To address this, we focused on finding a niche that we could serve really well rather than trying to go head-to-head with the popular CAD tools out there.

Our initial niche was mobile 3D CAD on the iPad. It didn't need to be feature-complete or compete directly with traditional CAD systems. Instead, we positioned mobility as a critical differentiator. We asked, "What if we could make a mobile 3D CAD tool that solved problems traditional CAD couldn't solve?" For example, you can't take a desktop CAD workstation to the manufacturing floor but you can take an iPad. Shapr3D’s ease of use and quick adoption on mobile devices made it possible for users to design on the go. That focus helped us reach our first $10 million in annual revenue. It supported us during the early years and allowed us to gradually expand into other segments, like desktop users and later, Vision Pro users.

From there, we built out the product step by step, adding new features and capabilities that allowed us to address other use cases and target larger customers. It’s been a long journey, but now we're on track to becoming a disruptive force in the CAD industry. Of course, there's still a lot of work ahead but I’m confident in the direction we’re heading.

Aaron: Are you positioning Shapr3D to compete directly with the big players like SolidWorks, Creo and the up-and-coming Onshape, or is there still a niche you’re focusing on?

István: It's not a straightforward competition because I don't believe that disruptive products ever compete directly with incumbents—it's not how disruption typically works. Disruptive companies find ways to differentiate themselves and expand their target market by offering better, faster, and cheaper solutions. We're not aiming to replace legacy tools like NX or CATIA.

But let me point out that no CAD user in the world uses 100% of the features in those tools. A lot of what’s in those software packages exists because the market was very different in the 1990s when they were created. We focus on the world that has changed over the last 30 years and how we can build a better solution for the needs of today.

If Shapr3D becomes an industry-defining tool, it doesn't mean that traditional CAD systems will disappear. It's not a zero-sum game. I'm okay with the idea that our users might still use other tools for specific tasks. What we want is for Shapr3D to be the tool they spend 95% of their time. If they need another tool for the remaining 5%, that’s okay. Our focus is on solving the problems that traditional CAD doesn’t solve well and doubling down on those areas.

Aaron: I appreciate that perspective. I am not thinking of it as a zero-sum game but rather as solving the challenges engineers face today. Let's talk about your Apple Design Award. You won that award early on when you were focusing on the iPad Pro. How did that recognition shape your product's direction?

István: Winning the Apple Design Award was a huge honor for us. It's something we're incredibly proud of, especially because Apple has such a high standard for user experience design. It's a big deal to get that kind of recognition from a company that has nailed UX design in so many ways. However, in terms of customer acquisition, it wasn't a game-changer. Our audience isn't necessarily made up of people who follow Apple awards closely. Engineers, especially, are more focused on whether a tool solves its problems than on what awards it has won.

That said, internally, it raised the bar for us. Being able to say that we’re an Apple Design Award-winning company means we can’t be releasing anything that doesn’t meet a similar high standard of user experience. It’s a constant reminder that we need to push ourselves to deliver the best possible product.

We have the award displayed prominently in our office. It’s a daily reminder to the team of what we’re capable of and the level of quality we need to maintain.

Aaron: That’s fantastic to hear. Let’s pivot a bit—how do you balance keeping Shapr3D easy to use while still allowing your users all the sophistication they need from a modern CAD tool? It seems like that’s a difficult balance to strike.

István: It’s incredibly challenging, but we are up to it. We will add complexity incrementally and learn from every change. We release updates every two weeks, and each update might include minor improvements or new features that are aimed at professional users. However, we always pay attention to how those changes impact the overall user experience. It's not just about adding features—it's about making sure that those features don't disrupt the core simplicity that our users love.

It’s like cooking. When you're making soup, if you add too much salt at once, that's too bad. You can't take it out. You have to add just a little bit at a time, taste it and then decide if it needs more. That’s how we approach adding features to Shapr3D. We start with something simple that works really well and then we slowly add more sophistication. After each addition, we check to see if we’ve maintained the simplicity that makes Shapr3D appealing. If we find that a new feature is complicating the workflow too much, we rethink it. It’s a long process but it’s how we ensure that our product remains intuitive while becoming more capable.

Aaron: That's a solid approach. It's about maintaining balance, and over time, minor improvements can add to something truly powerful. What does your ideal customer look like today?

István: Our focus has shifted over the years and now our ideal customers are large enterprises—Fortune 500 companies or those with over 10,000 employees. However, we actually serve a wide range of users, from individual 3D printing enthusiasts to major corporations. We have use cases in design, engineering and manufacturing. In design, we’re often used by consumer electronics and home appliance companies during the conceptual phase, where the ability to iterate quickly is crucial. Our augmented reality capabilities are also very useful in this space for design reviews and iterations.

In engineering, we’ve seen a big uptick in process engineering use cases, particularly in the automotive industry. This wasn’t something we initially anticipated but it's become a major use case for us. Automotive OEMs have started using Shapr3D for process engineering, especially in scenarios where their users are lower-frequency CAD users. They might use CAD for just a few hours a week, so the ease of learning and retaining skills in Shapr3D is a considerable advantage. They can take an iPad onto the factory floor, make modifications in real-time and sync those changes back to their desktop computers seamlessly. This flexibility is a game-changer for companies that need to keep pace with the rapid changes in manufacturing environments.

Aaron: That's fantastic. Shapr3D is making an impact across different stages of product development and manufacturing. Looking ahead, what can we expect from Shapr3D in the next three to five years? What's on the roadmap that you're excited about?

István: We have a lot planned. A little over a year ago, we added parametric modeling to Shapr3D, which was a massive milestone for us. Now, we're focusing on closing some of the feature gaps in that area and making our sketch engine more powerful. We're also working on collaboration tools, starting with assemblies and then adding assembly-level collaborative editing. We believe that collaborating on the assembly level makes the most sense for engineers. In a real-world scenario, teams usually break down large projects into smaller subassemblies, and different engineers work on different parts. Collaborative editing at the assembly level mirrors that workflow and makes it easier for teams to work together.

We’re also adding features like sharing, commenting and annotation. With just one click, you’ll be able to share a design with a link and anyone can view and annotate it, even if they don’t have Shapr3D installed. This is built on our private cloud architecture, which has been a huge win for us in terms of adoption by enterprise customers. It allows them to control their data while still benefiting from the flexibility of cloud-based collaboration. We’ve made it through the IT security checks of large enterprises much faster than we expected because of this architecture and that’s helped us grow significantly.

Aaron: That sounds amazing. A lot of people will be excited to see these new features come to life. Thank you so much for sharing your time with us today, István. Is there anything else you'd like to share with our listeners?

István: I'd encourage everyone to try Shapr3D and give us feedback. There's a lot more coming in the next few years and we’re always looking for ways to make the product better. You can download it for free from our website and we’d love to hear what you think.

Aaron: Wonderful. How can people get in touch with you if they want to share feedback or connect with you directly?

István: I’m very active in our online communities and I love engaging with our users. You can also reach me directly at istvan@shapr3d.com. I try to respond to as many emails as I can and I’m always interested in hearing from our users.

Aaron: That’s great. István, thank you again for joining us and best of luck with everything that Shapr3D has planned for the future.

István: Thanks for having me, Aaron. It’s been a pleasure.