Tool of the Week | Episode 32

Built 2 Scale · 17 Dec 2025 · 11m

What this episode covers

Host Scott Wilcox demonstrates Alloy, an AI-powered prototyping tool that allows non-technical users to create interactive software prototypes from screenshots using natural language prompts. He shares a specific instance where he used Alloy to build a markup feature demo for a US prospect in minutes, accelerating a sales cycle that would have required engineering delays. The discussion expands into a broader strategic insight about 'AI native private equity,' where software companies acquire traditional businesses to apply automation logic and significantly improve profit margins.

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • The Manufacturing Executive · 32m

    How Simulation Technology is Reshaping Product Design w/ Dr. Masha Petrova

    Dr. Masha Petrova, CEO of Nullpace, explains how engineering simulation (CAE) allows manufacturers to design thousands of variations digitally before manufacturing only a few, replacing costly physical prototyping. She discusses the industry's shift from a few legacy providers like ANSYS and MSC Software to a consolidation trend driven by AI and chip industry demands, noting that venture capital has historically overlooked this rigorous field. Petrova highlights the challenge of tool adoption, where engineers lack time to evaluate new software, and proposes that companies must incentivize this exploration to keep pace with innovation.

  • Being an Engineer · 55m

    S7E3 Aaron Eden | How Engineers Can Use AI Today

    Aaron Eden, an AI Process Automation leader at Intuit and founder of the AI Trailblazers nonprofit, explains how engineers can leverage AI tools to bridge skill gaps and accelerate development. He details specific software tools like Claude Code, Cursor, and Google's Anti-Gravity, as well as physical engineering simulations via Nvidia Omniverse and generative design tools from Adobe. Eden emphasizes that while AI can handle 70-80% of tasks, human oversight remains critical for security and correctness, advocating for a 'human-in-the-loop' approach and using AI to democratize technical skills through his nonprofit's apprenticeship programs.

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 1h 06m

    BONUS: From a Sabbatical to Building the First Full-Stack Industrial AI Company with Andres Naranjo, CEO of Software Toolbox

    Andres Naranjo, CEO of Software Toolbox, discusses his journey from a sabbatical sailing around the world to building the first full-stack industrial AI company. He explains why he acquired Software Toolbox to gain distribution and data moats, and outlines his framework for deciding when to build versus buy. Naranjo details the evolution of AI types—machine learning, computer vision, generative AI, and agentic AI—and argues for replacing static dashboards with real-time, AI-driven insights on the plant floor.

  • OnTrack · 31m

    Altium & Duro: The PLM Software Built for Hardware Startups

    Michael Corr, founder and CEO of Duro, explains why Altium acquired his cloud-based PLM platform to help hardware startups and small engineering teams manage product data without heavy IT overhead. He details how the Altium Designer plugin publishes library parts and full projects into Duro with part numbers and revision status, while the deeper integration within Altium 365 allows seamless switching between the two interfaces. Corr also highlights Duro's new AI agents that act as RF, mechanical DFM, and supply chain specialists to review change orders for teams that cannot hire those specialized roles. Finally, he emphasizes Duro's API-first architecture, which is designed to be easily consumed by AI coding agents to build custom integrations and extensions.

  • Product Startup · 32m

    122: Modern Methods for New Product Development

    John McEleney, Co-Founder and CEO of Onshape, explains how cloud-based 3D CAD software enables hardware startups to iterate faster and achieve product-market fit. He contrasts Onshape’s real-time collaboration and version control with legacy desktop systems like SolidWorks, highlighting how features like branching and FeatureScript reduce friction in the design process. McEleney emphasizes that modern tools allow teams to get prototypes into customer hands quickly to observe usage, rather than relying on static file exchanges. The discussion covers the shift from local installation to cloud-native platforms, enabling parallel workflows and agile product development for small teams and large enterprises alike.

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Built 2 Scale. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.