Episode
From Duke Football to 3D-Printed Medical Devices: How PROTECT3D Scaled Mass Customization with Kevin Gehsmann
- Podcast
- NC Tweener Talks
- Published
- Mar 5, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2647
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://share.transistor.fm/s/c7fff611
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Summary
In this episode, we unpack how a college capstone project turned into a scalable system for custom-fit 3D-printed bracing, moving from “hours in CAD” to minutes with automated design templates. We get into the origin story, the technology moat, go-to-market evolution, fundraising, and the founder mindset required to stay in the game. Highlights covered How PROTECT3D started with a custom brace for a Duke teammate Why “one-size-fits-none” is the real problem in bracing The core workflow: iPhone scan → automated digital design → 3D print How they reduced design time from 5+ hours to under 5 minutes Material/printing approaches and why they use multiple technologies Scaling from sports to insurance-reimbursable clinical products Expansion into military / defense applications via non-dilutive funding Founder lessons: failing fast, surviving COVID-era building, and grit Kevin’s advice to younger founders: keep going, the grind is the game Custom-fit should be the norm, and PROTECT3D is building the rails to make that possible at scale. If you’re a founder working at the intersection of software + real-world manufacturing, this one is packed with practical lessons and a lot of heart. Timestamps: 00:04:29 — Kevin’s background: Greensboro → Duke mechanical engineering + football 00:05:43 — The spark: 3D-printing a custom brace for an injured teammate 00:06:37 — “One-size-fits-none”: why off-the-shelf bracing fails most bodies 00:10:23 — Turning it into a real company through Duke I&E + early traction 00:12:21 — Early funding: friends & family + NC IDEA Micro Grant path 00:16:45 — The modern 3-step process: app scan → digital fabrication → 3D print 00:17:11 — From traveling to scan athletes… to scanning with an iPhone app 00:23:29 — Scaling breakthrough: design time dro…