At 3DEXPERIENCE World in Houston, we captured a powerful customer story for Dassault Systèmes SOLIDWORKS. Filmed on-site at GRIND Basketball’s HQ, the video demonstrates how SOLIDWORKS helps startups move fast, iterate quickly, and scale smarter. It’s a clear, real-world example of how a well-executed testimonial can drive product credibility and connect with future customers.
GRIND’s product — a portable, automated basketball shooting machine — is built for athletes who want to maximize reps without chasing rebounds. What sets GRIND apart isn’t just the product, but how it came to life. Co-founders Thomas Fields and Elliott Martinez took a rough prototype built in a garage and transformed it into a manufacturable, scalable solution. And they did it with SOLIDWORKS.
In the video, Martinez explains how the software enabled their rapid development process — from napkin sketch to 3D print, all the way to production. “It’s seamless,” he says, pointing out how easily SOLIDWORKS connects design, prototyping, and manufacturing in a single ecosystem. That kind of flexibility is critical for early-stage companies, and hearing it directly from a founder gives it weight that marketing copy simply can’t match.
“SOLIDWORKS makes it seamless to go from a napkin sketch to a prototype to full production — all in one platform.”
What makes this video valuable isn’t just the product demo — it’s the authenticity. GRIND’s team doesn’t just useSOLIDWORKS; they rely on it. Their story becomes proof of the platform’s value in real-world conditions, and that authenticity builds trust with engineers, designers, and decision-makers alike.
It also highlights something every brand should pay attention to: the long-term value of customer storytelling. A testimonial like this does double duty — it validates the product and builds brand equity at the same time. It’s relatable, memorable, and scalable across channels.
GRIND’s story is about more than basketball. It’s about moving fast, solving real problems, and inspiring the next generation of makers. SOLIDWORKS helps make that possible — and capturing stories like this is how that value becomes visible.
Watch the full video to see how SOLIDWORKS and GRIND are building more than a product — they’re building momentum.