Joseph DeSimone: The GTM Story of Carbon ($2.5 Billion Valuation)

In this episode of Unicorn Builders, we're joined by Joseph DeSimone, co-founder and former CEO of Carbon, an idea-to-production platform that has raised over $680 million in funding. Joe shares his journey of taking Carbon's groundbreaking 3D printing technology from the lab to large-scale commercial adoption, offering invaluable insights for founders seeking to bring deep tech innovations to market.

Key topics discussed in this episode:

• The evolution of Carbon's technology from a rudimentary "toaster" to a full-fledged manufacturing solution, enabling the production of previously unmakeable designs at scale.
• Navigating the challenges of category creation, from identifying compelling use cases to educating customers on the transformative potential of a new approach.
• The power of lighthouse customers like Adidas in validating the technology, driving adoption in adjacent markets, and building momentum for the new category.
• Overcoming skepticism and resistance to change by demonstrating clear value, cultivating strong customer relationships, and persistently evangelizing the vision.
• The importance of an innovative business model, such as Carbon's subscription approach, in aligning incentives and enabling customers to embrace a rapidly evolving technology.
• Joe's reflections on the emotional challenges of the founder journey, from the weight of responsibility to the loneliness of leadership, and the criticality of a strong support system.