Latest news with #Vizcom
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Why This Entrepreneur Values The Power Of Vertically Integrated AI
VC firm Index Ventures took a flier on Jordan Taylor's Vizcom in a $20 million round, knowing the former Nvidia industrial designer and art school grad had little business experience. But Index bet he had the grit to make it happen. He had developed an AI-powered tool that could turn simple sketches into 3D designs, enabling designers to speed through product iterations. Investing his life savings and eating many a Costco hot dog to stay on budget, he and cofounder Kaelan Richards, 29, launched Vizcom in 2021, joined startup accelerator AI Grant, and lined up Ford and New Balance as customers before approaching Index earlier this year. Today, Vizcom has some 65 customers: Enterprises pay up to $1 million a year for its software, while smaller users pay $49 per person per month. 'I'm an artist and designer. I'm trying to solve a problem for myself,' says Taylor, whose startup is currently valued at $100 million. 'What does it mean for the economy or the world when anyone can make their own products?'
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Why This Entrepreneur Says "Taste" Can't Be Taught
VC firm Index Ventures took a flier on Jordan Taylor's Vizcom in a $20 million round, knowing the former Nvidia industrial designer and art school grad had little business experience. But Index bet he had the grit to make it happen. He had developed an AI-powered tool that could turn simple sketches into 3D designs, enabling designers to speed through product iterations. Investing his life savings and eating many a Costco hot dog to stay on budget, he and cofounder Kaelan Richards, 29, launched Vizcom in 2021, joined startup accelerator AI Grant, and lined up Ford and New Balance as customers before approaching Index earlier this year. Today, Vizcom has some 65 customers: Enterprises pay up to $1 million a year for its software, while smaller users pay $49 per person per month. 'I'm an artist and designer. I'm trying to solve a problem for myself,' says Taylor, whose startup is currently valued at $100 million. 'What does it mean for the economy or the world when anyone can make their own products?'
Forbes
3 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
How AI Could Empower Artists, Not Replace Them
VC firm Index Ventures took a flier on Jordan Taylor's Vizcom in a $20 million round, knowing the former Nvidia industrial designer and art school grad had little business experience. But Index bet he had the grit to make it happen. He had developed an AI-powered tool that could turn simple sketches into 3D designs, enabling designers to speed through product iterations. Investing his life savings and eating many a Costco hot dog to stay on budget, he and cofounder Kaelan Richards, 29, launched Vizcom in 2021, joined startup accelerator AI Grant, and lined up Ford and New Balance as customers before approaching Index earlier this year. Today, Vizcom has some 65 customers: Enterprises pay up to $1 million a year for its software, while smaller users pay $49 per person per month. 'I'm an artist and designer. I'm trying to solve a problem for myself,' says Taylor, whose startup is currently valued at $100 million. 'What does it mean for the economy or the world when anyone can make their own products?'
Fox News
31-01-2025
- Business
- Fox News
World's first AI-designed, 3D-printed shoe wants to be the next Crocs
Move over, Crocs. There's a new contender in the world of unconventional footwear. Syntilay, a startup with a sparkle in its eye and artificial intelligence on its mind, has just unveiled what it claims to be the world's first entirely AI-designed and 3D-printed shoe. This futuristic footwear is turning heads and raising eyebrows in equal measure. Syntilay, whose name is derived from "scintillate" (meaning to sparkle), is the brainchild of 25-year-old entrepreneur Ben Weiss. The company's journey from concept to creation is as unique as the shoes themselves. Using Midjourney AI, they generated the basic shape, which was then sketched by an artist. This sketch was transformed into a 3D model using Vizcom AI, and finally, generative AI added the distinctive patterns and textures. Ben tells CyberGuy, "AI designing shoes is going to disrupt the category because of the incredible speed to go to market. New releases for traditionally made shoes take around 18 months for a model to release, with AI making them and 3D printing, that is now only a few months." One of Syntilay's standout features is its commitment to personalized comfort. Before you can slip your feet into these futuristic slides, you'll need to scan your feet using your smartphone. This ensures a custom fit for each customer, even accommodating those with different-sized feet. Available in five colors – blue, black, red, beige and orange – these shoes are priced at a not-so-modest $149.99 per pair. While Syntilay is pushing the boundaries of shoe design, they've also got some serious old-school cred in their corner. Joe Foster, the co-founder of Reebok, is lending his expertise to the project. With Foster's experience in building a $4 billion shoe empire, Syntilay is hoping to make big strides in the footwear market. Syntilay's ambitions extend far beyond selling a few thousand pairs of quirky slides. They're eyeing the $85.8 billion U.S. footwear market, with plans to open their platform to brands and content creators. This could potentially allow influencers and brands to design and sell their own AI-created footwear, tapping into a market that has traditionally been difficult for non-shoe companies to crack. In an age where environmental concerns are at the forefront, Syntilay is putting its best foot forward. The shoes are 100% recyclable, with customers able to return them at the end of their life to be transformed into new products. This closed-loop system could potentially revolutionize the footwear industry's approach to sustainability. Whether Syntilay becomes the next Crocs or fades into obscurity remains to be seen. However, their innovative approach to design and manufacturing is undoubtedly pushing the boundaries of what's possible in footwear. As AI and 3D printing technologies continue to evolve, we may be witnessing the first steps towards a revolution in how we design, produce and consume fashion. What do you think? Are AI-designed, 3D-printed shoes the future of footwear or just a passing fad? Let us know by writing us at For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Follow Kurt on his social channels: Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions: New from Kurt: Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
