Joe Allison, principal of 3D Ventures and CEO of Gentle Giant Studios, has spent decades shaping the additive manufacturing industry. He holds two AMUG Distinguished INnovator Operator (DINO) awards, an honor shared with only one person, the much-missed Graham Tromans. At this year’s AMUG Conference, Joe Allison will receive another accolade, the 2025 AMUG Innovators Award.
I caught up with the additive manufacturing trailblazer for an insight into his enduring career, contributions to advancing the industry, and lessons learned along the way.
From pioneering innovations in stereolithography to guiding startups and investments, Allison’s career features technological breakthroughs and hard-earned lessons. Yet, when asked about his proudest achievement, Allison doesn’t point to patents or machines but to culture. “Everybody working hard together, celebrating together. That’s my favorite thing in my whole career,” he says, “at Solid Concepts, it was just a magic culture.”
His path to success, however, was not without detours. One of his costliest diversions came during the early days of 3D printing when “everyone was trying to do tooling.” He sought alternatives before metal additive manufacturing became viable and experimented with castable materials. “Highly filled epoxies? A total waste of money,” he admits. The next attempt, CNC’d aluminum, also proved unsuitable. “A little soft, too, when you talk about injection molding.” After substantial losses, “a couple of million dollars on that stuff,” he finally settled on stainless steel.
His introduction to stereolithography was at a 1987 trade show he attended for his then-employer, Hewlett Packard. A phone call to a headhunter, and three weeks later, he walked through the doors of 3D Systems. Allison spearheaded a wave of innovation at that “fun startup,” evidenced by 12 patents over three years. The most consequential piece of IP tackled a fundamental problem of shrinkage-induced distortion. Early approaches caused a bimetallic strip effect, bending metal platforms and cracking supports. His solution involved pre-curing layers before adhesion, vastly improving accuracy. Techniques like Star Weave and Aces, which refined layer adhesion, improved precision fivefold.
Though these patents have long since expired, their impact endures. “They’re historical textbook items now,” he says. Other innovations, such as Boolean slicing techniques that separately define up and down-facing surfaces, further cemented his legacy in 3D printing’s evolution.
Beyond technology, Allison has played a key role in stewarding industry institutions. Gentle Giant Studios, an entertainment, and 3D scanning leader, was nearly shuttered when 3D Systems sought to divest. Recognizing its cultural and commercial significance, Allison stepped in. “The stuff they do there is amazing,” he says. “An icon in the entertainment business.”
He is focused on launching Selective Thermoplastic Electrophotographic Process (STEP) technology at Evolve Additive Solutions. Capable of printing at 14-micron layers with strong mechanical properties, STEP promises exceptional surface finishes and compatibility with materials like ABS, polycarbonate, and even PEEK. “It just nails it for small parts,” Allison says. “They can be clear, any color you want.”
With Evolve 2.0’s commercialization expected within a year, the technology could mark another inflection point for the industry. However, for Allison, maintaining balance remains key. “The most important goal for me is keeping a balance between my personal life and being a CEO,” he says. Retirement, however, is still on the horizon, just not quite yet.
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The Patents That Weren’t: Innovation, Secrecy, and Early 3D Printing
While Allison holds numerous patents, not every innovation made it to a filing. Some ideas were ahead of their time, others too costly to patent, and a few were deliberately kept secret.
One abandoned idea was a stereolithography system that operated upside down. “I couldn’t get it to not stick to the lens,” he recalls. “I broke a lot of lenses trying it, but only for a week or so. I was glad to see someone solve that years later.”
Leaving 3D Systems in 1991 to found Solid Concepts, financial constraints meant prioritizing product development over patent battles. “We didn’t have the money, and we didn’t want to get into a patent fight,” he says. One unpatented innovation, automatic support generation, later became a core feature across numerous software solutions. Similarly, others developed removable perforated supports, which Allison’s team pioneered, into more sophisticated solutions.
QuickCast, a technique for investment casting using stereolithography, was another trade secret. The team had devised a method to thoroughly drain resin from hollow builds using a centrifuge, years ahead of competitors. “Maybe we could have patented it, but we didn’t think we could enforce it,” he reflects. “Patents are important for raising money, but we just wanted to build a great product.”
Building an Industry: The Origins of Solid Concepts
Having shaped the early days of stereolithography at 3D Systems, he saw a bigger opportunity beyond machine development. Founding Solid Concepts was an entrepreneurial leap driven as much by ambition as by necessity.
“I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I hate to say it, it was as shallow a motive as needing the money,” he admits. With a young family, “I looked at what engineers make, and my neighbors, car salesmen, were making more.”
The challenge was finding a capital-efficient venture. Traditional manufacturing required substantial investment, but additive manufacturing provided a rare opening. Partnering with programmer Ray Bradford, Allison developed software to convert Cyberware 3D scanner data into STL files, the foundation of 3D printing. That software became Solid Concepts’ first revenue stream.
Securing equipment was another hurdle. Their first machine was a 3D Systems SLA 1, converted to an SLA 250. Shortly after, they acquired another, a repossessed unit a bank needed to offload before year-end. “New, it sold for $250,000. We offered $35,000, and they took it,” he recalls.
With two machines and a steady stream of business, Solid Concepts was born. “The two keys to a startup? Someone who can bring in business and someone who can deliver. The third is cash. We never raised much, but somehow, we made it work.”
The Evolution of Leadership: Strategy, Culture, and Management
Allison didn’t set out to be a manager. Like many engineers-turned-entrepreneurs, he was drawn to the technical and business challenges of building a company. But leadership, he learned, was inseparable from success.
“One thing I learned from college is how to teach yourself,” he says. With no time for formal training, he turned to books. First, management. Then leadership. Finally, strategic planning. “Once I discovered strategic planning, I loved it. A method to align priorities with vision and get everyone working together.” Yet, he realized that strategy alone wasn’t enough. “As Drucker said, ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast.’ If you have the right culture, people dynamically adjust priorities for success. They work as a team.”
Building that culture meant fostering enthusiasm. “When employees go home from events, their spouses should say, ‘I see why you love working there so much.'” Celebrations, holiday parties, sales kickoffs, and company-wide events weren’t just morale boosters; they reinforced a shared mission.
His leadership philosophy centers on empowerment. “Give people clear goals, step back, and don’t micromanage. Talk to them about why we’re not meeting goals. Celebrate when we do.”
Investing in the Future: Lessons from Missed Opportunities and Market Shifts
Even seasoned investors have regrets. One company Allison wishes he had backed? Icon, a 3D printing firm for construction. “They’re right here in my backyard, and they’re killing it,” he says. “I passed because I thought they were already too big. Their valuation was only $40 million then. Boy, was that a mistake!”
Today, the group of investors who work under the banner of 3D Ventures prioritizes startups with proven product-market fit. “Too many companies haven’t fully proven their tech,” he says. “In a booming market, you could take risks. Now, we look for traction. Real customers, real revenue.”
His approach remains pragmatic, “I don’t chase hypothetical growth curves. I focus on the next real-world application. When I look back, the hockey stick will be there.”
This year’s AMUG Conference takes place from March 30 to April 3, 2025, at the Hilton Chicago in Chicago, Illinois. Register now for the 2025 AMUG Conference.
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Featured image shows Joe Allison, CEO of Gentle Giant Studios and recipient of the 2025 AMUG Innovators Award. Photo via AMUG.
