“I can find the same joy in building an organization that I found in building a product or writing code… in many ways, it is a similar problem” - In this very first episode of the Untold Stories Podcast our guest is István Csanády, CEO and founder of Shapr3D.
Shapr3D is reinventing CAD (computer-aided design) for the next generation of designers and they pride themselves on creating a fast, frictionless design process reshaping the industry and breaking down some long-standing barriers to entry.
So why is the startup considered one of the most successful stories from Hungary? Today we are sitting down with István to talk about just that: starting from his journey as an unfitting employee to becoming an entrepreneur and solo founder, acting on a hunch to create a software solution for an upcoming Apple product release, through early struggles, to raising $12M funding from top European investors. It makes one’s head spin just to think about all that.
Besides its strategy for building a top-notch solution for the CAD industry, Shapr3D’s approach to talent sourcing and acquisition is also worth learning from. As István mentions, ‘you cannot rely on hiring for pedigree... you have to figure out for yourself how to find and evaluate the best talent’.
Turn on this episode and uncover the untold story about one of the best Hungarian startups of the decade. Here are some questions you’ll find answered in the episode:
-In what ways has Shapr3D shaped the industry and changed consumer behavior for the better?
-Do you need a precise go-to-market strategy to succeed?
- What was István’s personal motivation to become an entrepreneur and what could be the pros and cons of being a solo founder?
- Is it easier or harder to fundraise today vs 10 years earlier? How does the fundraising market look like for the top startups?
- What are the benefits of bottom-up distribution strategies in a top-down dominated industry?
- The importance of HR – how to balance between potential and pedigree?
- How to scale up the right way with mostly local talents and resources, and how to avoid a talent war?
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