Hardware Podcasts

T-24-003 : Christina Perla - Industrial Designer to On Demand Manufacturing

TRADEOFFS · 9 Oct 2024 · 58m · Episode 3

What this episode covers

Christina Perla, co-founder and CEO of Makelab, discusses her transition from industrial design at Converse to running an on-demand 3D printing service. She details the company's hub-and-spoke expansion strategy, including a new San Francisco location and a planned Connecticut factory, while explaining why she rejected venture capital after a fund imploded. Perla emphasizes community building as a core growth strategy and shares insights on the 3D printing industry's current reckoning regarding reliability and marketing honesty.

Most relevant to

early-stage companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Makelab, Converse, Verizon, Shapeways, Zometry, Desktop Metal
Products
Oath, Form 3L

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