053: Manufacturing, Quality & 3D Printing
Filip Valica of Mako Design + Invent, interviewed by Khierstyn Ross of Crowdfunding Uncut, explains that crowdfunding campaigns often fail due to poor manufacturing planning rather than lack of funding. They discuss the importance of iterative prototyping, using 3D printing to decouple complex features, and the critical need to validate product-market fit before committing to tooling. The conversation covers strategies for sourcing overseas manufacturers, vetting them through trade fairs and third-party QA, and protecting intellectual property with NNN agreements to prevent design theft.