In the summer of 2025, I flew to Budapest to spend three months working in Shapr3D's Research Division—a team building what is perhaps the best CAD software in the world. What started as a popular iPad app built on OpenCascade has evolved into the premier Mac-based CAD platform, and it's now the tool of choice for designers like Jony Ive!
The team operates in strict secrecy and I am under heavy NDAs. But from what's out there, we love libfive.com and nTopology.com. I learned a lot there. Research is hard. Going into mathematical unkown with only the faintest intuition of an idea, then crystallizing it into something solid and concrete that seems obvious in hindsight—it's perhaps one of the most challenging intellectual pursuits imaginable. István and his team make it look effortless. There's also something deeply satisfying about knowing that something I helped create will be used by millions of people, and hopefully they'll feel the love we've poured into it.
It's remarkable what a small team in Budapest has built—and what István has achieved starting from such humble beginnings. The phone in your pocket was most likely designed in Shapr3D ;). And this is just the beginning for the company. Let Shapr3D reign supreme!
During my time there, I also recorded content in the style of SmarterEveryDay. There is a surprising amount of really cool stories that never get the public light and are at risk of being lost to time...