Paperspace Gives You a Personal Computer in the Cloud

Personal computers are fantastic — except when they’re not. Intrusive updates. Data losses. Sync times so long they give you gray hairs. Tech startup Paperspace has taken the personal computer and placed it in the cloud, eliminating many of the hassles that come with buying and managing computers.

Daniel Kobran, who co-founded Paperspace with Dillon Erb, says the startup’s technology gives anyone with a web browser access to powerful, scalable computing — from big brands with thousands of employees to college students on tight budgets. Using their own devices, Paperspace users access an on-demand desktop via the cloud. The “computer in the cloud” technology provides powerful networking and computing, including a GPU (graphics processing unit) capable of handling complex technology like 3D models.

The result, Kobran says, is a no-hassle computer that delivers far more firepower and requires far less upkeep than a traditional computer. What’s more, the startup delivers the technology for less than the price of most desktops or laptops.

““[Our] idea was similar to Dropbox: put that really simple interface on top of really powerful technology and open it up to the broader market.”

Before launching Paperspace, Kobran and Erb had been working on the tech side of the architecture and engineering industry. They realized that while there was incredible technology happening in the public cloud, using platforms like Azure, it wasn’t accessible to non-technical people. Kobran says, “[Our] idea was similar to Dropbox: put that really simple interface on top of really powerful technology and open it up to the broader market.” The result, he says, is a platform that brings big-enterprise resources to anyone with a web browser.

Paperspace’s users largely come from the enterprise market, which he says is using the platform to redefine how teams work. The co-founder describes how one Paperspace client, an architecture firm, uses the virtual computer to collaborate with overseas personnel: “Since architects often work on complex, multi-gigabyte 3D models, working remotely has always meant waiting hours for Dropbox files to sync. With Paperspace, they were able to seamlessly stream the desktop thousands of miles and collaborate in real-time.”

One of the startup’s biggest advantages is its easy-to-manage, easy-to-scale enterprise solution, democratizing technology that was previously only available to companies with big budgets and big IT staffs. In Paperspace, a management console simplifies tasks like adding a VPN (virtual private network) or integrating an Active Directory. Plus, since all data is stored in the cloud — not on the computer itself — there’s less risk of data being lost or stolen.

Kobran is quick to point out that Paperspace offers tremendous value to consumers, too. “Because we can offer it to anyone, it becomes available to people like developers and students doing high-end CAD and Photoshop. We call them “prosumers,” the high end of the consumer market, meaning they have the need for a more powerful machine, not just for doing content consumption on things like Instagram.”

Capitalizing on Powerful Technology to Launch Growth

Paperspace, which now largely runs its infrastructure out of its own cloud, relies on Azure to power some auxiliary services. However, the startup offers its users a Windows operating system and desktop setup. The co-founder says, “Windows used to be a thing you got on a desktop or a laptop, and now you can spin up a machine in the cloud with Windows on it.”

“We spent a lot of time in R&D, and having access to a powerful infrastructure on Azure was really helpful to us in the early days.”

Kobran also says Microsoft’s credit program empowered Paperspace to build and refine its platform. “Microsoft was really key for us in terms of developing the product. We spent a lot of time in R&D, and having access to a powerful infrastructure on Azure was really helpful to us in the early days.”

Tapping Resources to Flesh Out Experience Gaps

Y Combinator, a California-based startup incubator, provided the Paperspace team with critical guidance on how to effectively run cloud-based operations. Kobran says, “We had some amazing mentors and advisors, people that have a lot of experience operating and scaling startups. They’re an incredible resource in answering questions that any early-stage company faces.”

In addition, the incubator helped Paperspace understand its market so it could create a compelling narrative. Kobran says mentors helped the team manage the nuts-and-bolts of a traditional launch, which included making connections with the press. He laughs, “A lot of companies are run by engineers, and they need a lot of guidance in terms of working with the media.”

What’s next?

The public cloud services market is expected to grow 16.5 percent to $204 billion in 2016, according to Gartner — a growth rate that analysts expect to continue. The co-founder feels the startup, which has been working on this technology for nearly three years, is in the perfect position to spearhead the coming paradigm shift. Kobran says, “It’s going to be a much bigger space as everything is transitioning to the cloud.”