Welcome to our podcast, where we dive into what it really takes to launch a startup. Through conversations with founders across various industries, we uncover the realities of:
Identifying the problem and validating the idea
Securing funding
Navigating the product development process
Assembling the right team
We aim to provide actionable insights and real-world advice to transform your vision into success. Join us for real talk and real advice on turning ideas into reality.
Today's Guest Spotlight:
Guest: Kieran Farr, CEO of “3DStreet”
Location: US
Team Size: 1-50 members
Years in Business: 10
Industry: 3D Visualisation
For more information, visit: https://www.3dstreet.org/
From Personal Solution to Public Success
Kieran drew inspiration from StreetMix, an open-source tool for creating 2D street cross-sections. To solve his own problem, he modified it to include a 3D component, which quickly became the MVP's standout feature, transforming 2D views into complex 3D scenes. User feedback and bug reports guided him in shaping a product roadmap, addressing user needs, and enhancing the overall experience in early-stage startup development.
Key Takeaways:
Initial product development for startups was inspired by solving a personal problem, using the open-source tool StreetMix.
Adding a 3D component to StreetMix was a pivotal MVP feature, transforming 2D views into complex 3D scenes and impressing users.
Early user feedback, including feature requests and bug reports, helped formalize a product roadmap and enhance the overall experience.
Navigating Financial Challenges in Open-Source Development
The biggest challenge was achieving sustainable cash flow, a common hurdle in early-stage startup development. While I was comfortable with the technical side, the business aspect was much harder and took more time. Learning to bootstrap effectively, support company goals, and ensure enough revenue to cover expenses was crucial, especially for an open-source project. Initially, 3DStreet was free, but with advanced features like Google Maps integrations and AI, we realized we needed to start charging. To bridge this gap, we took on custom development projects with community organizations and design consultancies that shared our values. One significant project was creating safer transportation infrastructure around a new school in San Francisco. This helped us advance the product and gave the community solid plans to push for better city infrastructure, showcasing successful startup strategies.
Key Takeaways:
Achieving sustainable cash flow was the biggest challenge, despite technical expertise.
Charging for advanced features became necessary, leading to the introduction of subscription pricing.
Custom development projects with community organizations helped bridge the revenue gap and advance product development for startups.
Transforming Feedback into Innovations
Early adopters provided fundamental feedback that shaped the software, while current users now give more specific and actionable feedback. Smaller features often boost engagement more than complex ones. 3DStreet team gathers feedback through surveys and calls, focusing on usability to improve the overall experience.
Balancing product improvements with exciting new features like geospatial technology and augmented reality is a challenge. They are working on integrating 3D street scenes with Google 3D tiles and leveraging mobile devices for on-site design. AI has potential in geospatial design, but it's still early. It needs a structured process to be effective, and standards for interoperability are crucial. Theyʼre excited about the possibilities but recognize there's a lot more development needed.
Key Takeaways:
Early adopters provided fundamental feedback, while current users give specific, actionable input, often finding smaller features more engaging.
The 3DStreet team improves usability through surveys and calls, balancing enhancements with new geospatial and augmented reality features.
AI has potential in geospatial design but needs a structured process and standardization for interoperability; further development is required.
Marketing Challenges and Global Reach of 3DStreet
Kieran explains that 3DStreet gets most of its users through integrations with other street design apps like StreetMix, which is a key aspect of early-stage startup development. Traditional marketing methods like their website, social media, and podcasts also help but aren’t as effective.
Marketing this tool is tricky because it addresses a significant societal issue but doesn’t have the same economic rewards as finance software. The motivation comes from the impact of traffic violence, aiming to empower people to visualize and advocate for safer street designs.
Most users are in the US, but there's significant interest in South America due to the high cost of alternatives like Autodesk. The challenge is making the product accessible globally while balancing affordability with financial sustainability, a common issue in startup fundraising tips.
Key Takeaways:
Most users come from integrations with apps like StreetMix, traditional marketing is less effective.
Significant interest in South America due to expensive alternatives. Balancing accessibility with financial sustainability is a challenge.
Ensuring Accessibility in 3DStreet's Complex Software
Ensuring accessibility in 3DStreet's complex 3D software is a significant challenge for startup founders focusing on prototyping for startups and product design for startups due to regulations and the nature of 3D objects. The goal is to simplify these tasks gradually. While AR shows promise for natural interaction, devices like the Apple Vision Pro are expensive and not widely used. Most users prefer phones for convenience. More accessible AR devices, like smart glasses, are expected to become mainstream in five to ten years. Currently, support for VR and AR headsets exists but sees limited use.
Key Takeaways:
Gradual, piece-by-piece improvements make spatially complex 3D tasks more accessible, which is a key concern in product design for startups.
Augmented reality (AR) enhances 3D design for startups by allowing natural interaction, though current AR/VR devices are costly and less adopted.
Phones remain the preferred tool for spatial tasks, with future AR glasses expected to offer better solutions. This aligns with the goals of startup founders looking to leverage innovative technology in their product development processes.
Thanks for joining us on this insightful journey into the world of 3DStreet and the challenges of making complex 3D design for startups accessible and user-friendly. Stay tuned for more episodes where we explore the intersection of technology and user experience, and dive deeper into topics like prototyping for startups, startup fundraising tips, and product design for startups.
Thank you for listening!
#3. Kieran Farr / 3DStreet - LaunchLab Podcast