If you know me you know I like making things. Real things. 3D printing in particular is one of my favorites.
The problem with 3D printing is that you have to design the things you want to make first. Easy for some, harder for others. That's why 3D scanners exist. But... the hardware is incredibly expensive for a quality scanner, and even the high quality ones aren't a plug and play.
Well, things may be changing!
Polycam is an app that replaces 3D scanners. It leverages the LiDAR and cameras of the iPhone to generate 3D models and is super easy to use.
I've been following its evolution for a while and now that it hit a major milestone I'm starting to think this might be a real business.
The milestone I'm referring to is revenue. According to our estimates, consumer spending (gross revenue) in Polycam has crossed $1M for the first time in May.
Looking at the trend, it's also very organic, which makes sense considering this it serves a pretty specific niche.
Our estimates show Polycam generated $280K in gross revenue in its first full year out. Things rose more quickly in 2022 as Polycam's gross revenue for the year exceeded $1.8M, and skyrocketed in 2023 with $6.5M of gross revenue. Gross revenue has surpassed $4M already this year and we're barely half year in so I expect the total to be much higher.
As a maker I'm pretty happy to see something that used to cost thousands be available in my pocket for a few bucks a month, and with that success I'm sure competition will rise and possibly push for an even better product.
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