Backed by a16z and NEA, startup Backflip raises $30 million in Series A funding to transform plain text into AI-generated designs.
Imagine being able to generate a usable 3D design in minutes, without the need for hours or days of specialized work using computer-aided design software. This is the mission of Backflip, a startup founded by 3D printing veterans that has just scored $30 million from prominent investors.
The Founding Team
Backflip was founded by Greg Mark and David Benhaim, both veterans of the 3D printing industry. They are no strangers to innovation, having previously co-founded Markforged, a company that sold 3D printing systems, including physical 3D printers. Markforged went public in a $2.1 billion SPAC in July 2021 but has since seen its stock fall nearly 97%.
The Challenge of Design
Designing physical objects often requires a high level of expertise and can be a labor-intensive process. Benhaim explains that traditional design software is not very accessible, making it difficult for non-experts to create designs.
"AI language models capture how we think, vision models capture how we see, and Backflip is creating foundation models that capture how we build," says Benhaim.
The Power of AI
Backflip’s models are trained on a large dataset of about 10 million 3D parts, generated in part thanks to AI. This dataset took two years to build and has enabled the creation of foundational models that can capture the essence of how we design physical objects.
The App and Democratization of Design
With this raise, Backflip plans to launch its app and democratize the design process for anyone, from manufacturers to regular people. Mark envisions an experience where users can generate designs using various inputs, such as text prompts, sketches, photos, or even their iPhone camera.
"Now anyone can do it. You can literally text prompts, or draw a sketch, or pull in an image, or snap a photo with your iPhone — and then print it out. Your ideas are in the world. Kind of crazy," says Mark.
Safety Measures
One logical concern with radically democratizing design is the kind of products some people end up building. The killer of the United Healthcare CEO used a 3D-printed gun, for example. Mark assures that Backflip takes safety seriously and has two levels of content safety checkers to filter out potentially harmful designs.
Investment Round
Backflip’s round was co-led by NEA and a16z, with participation from angel investors, including Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott, Android founder Rich Miner, and Ashish Vaswani, a co-author of the "Attention Is All You Need" paper that helped launch the LLM revolution.
Trends in AI Investment
The investment round highlights the growing interest in AI-driven innovation. Benhaim notes that there is a growing trend towards using AI to augment human capabilities and automate tasks, which aligns with Backflip’s mission.
Conclusion
Backflip’s mission to revolutionize 3D printing with AI has attracted significant attention and investment. With its focus on democratizing design and leveraging the power of AI, Backflip is poised to transform the way we create physical objects.