Google Drive for 3D? The Future of 3D Is Closer Than You Think | Alon Grinshpoon

What happens when the worlds of AI, reality capture, digital twins, and entrepreneurship collide? In this episode of the Matthew Byrd Podcast, Matt sits down with Alon Grinshpoon, Founder & CEO of Echo3D, to explore how 3D asset management is becoming a critical piece of the digital transformation happening across construction, manufacturing, gaming, healthcare, and beyond. Alon shares the story of how research in augmented reality for surgery led to the creation of Echo3D, a platform often described as "Google Drive for 3D." Together, they discuss the rapid evolution of AI, digital twins, XR, autonomous technology, and what it takes to build a company that's solving problems for some of the world's largest enterprises. Whether you're interested in reality capture, entrepreneurship, AI, or simply where technology is headed next, this conversation offers an exciting look at the future being built today. In this episode: • How Echo3D is simplifying 3D asset management • Why digital twins are becoming essential across industries • AI's growing role in reality capture and enterprise workflows • The future of XR, smart glasses, and spatial computing • Lessons from building and scaling a venture-backed startup • Why "impossible" problems often lead to the biggest opportunities Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 00:54 Alon's journey from Columbia University to founding Echo3D 06:22 What Echo3D actually does 12:43 The future of reality capture and digital twins 19:29 Enterprise adoption and startup challenges 21:19 How AI is changing software development and business 29:30 Surviving startup adversity and staying resilient 42:13 Advice for entrepreneurs and future founders 48:01 Closing thoughts If you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to Like, Subscribe, and leave a comment with your thoughts on where AI, digital twins, and reality capture are headed next.