Backflip Promises Groundbreaking Solution for AI-Generated 3D Models

Last December, Markforged cofounders Greg Mark and David Benhaim made headlines by launching their new startup, Backflip. What’s more, the company received $30 million in Series A funding. Given the pair’s astounding success with Markforged—a company that pioneered metal and carbon-fiber 3D printing technology, and now operates on all seven continents—it is no surprise that Backflip garnered attention. The new service is an artificial intelligence design tool that generates 3D models. And while there are other 3D model generators on the market, they often cannot generate models high-quality enough to print—at least not without heavy editing. Backflip, by contrast, differentiates itself by putting high functionality at the forefront, drawing upon years of experience in the additive manufacturing field. We spoke to Greg Mark to learn about how the startup developed and where it is heading.

3DN: Could you introduce us to Backflip? How did your experience founding Markforged influence Backflip’s development?

Greg Mark, Founder and CEO of Backflip

Backflip builds 3D AI models for the physical world, powering tools that enable designers and engineers to more easily translate their imagination into reality. Our first product is a web app that lets you take an idea—a drawing, a sketch, a photo, or some text, and in one click, and about one minute, turn it into a highly detailed 3D model that can then be manufactured by 3D printing. It’s a tool that really accelerates how you can communicate and iterate on your design ideas in 3D.

At my previous company, Markforged, we focused on innovating in the downstream of manufacturing, specifically developing 3D printing technology to make strong, durable parts faster by 3D printing carbon fiber and metal. I’m quite proud of the technology and business we built there; we created manufacturing infrastructure that changed how things are made in mission-critical, resource-constrained situations like on the space station or on nuclear submarines, not to mention thousands of traditional and advanced manufacturing companies around the world.