TL;DR: Threaded is redefining manufacturing by replacing outdated, static tools with a dynamic, real-time platform that unites data and operational expertise.
Main points:
- Modernizes outdated value stream mapping (VSM) into a live, interactive system.
- Provides real-time insights, data integration, and collaboration across teams.
- Founded by experts from Tesla, Carbon, Rivian, and Square in 2023.
- Enables manufacturers to spot bottlenecks early and allocate resources effectively.
- Positioned as essential infrastructure for the expanding space economy.
The Outdated Status Quo and Growing Complexity
The manufacturing industry, long hailed as the backbone of the global economy, stands at a crucial inflection point.
Despite its immense importance, this sector has been noticeably slow in adopting modern software solutions.
People have long viewed manufacturing as a simple “make and ship” process. However, the system is complex and interconnected. A small disruption in one area can affect the entire value chain. When a supplier shifts a delivery schedule or launches a new product version, the entire operation becomes outdated.
Today, over 600,000 manufacturers still use static tools and siloed legacy systems to manage complex operations. Many rely on Gantt charts on whiteboards, spreadsheets for inventory, and value stream mapping (VSM) diagrams pinned to walls. These value stream mapping examples often become outdated soon after creation.
This is precisely the gap that Threaded seeks to fill. Threaded turns static diagrams into a dynamic, actionable platform. It gives manufacturers real-time insights, advanced data integration, and seamless collaboration. This approach improves how design, procurement, engineering, and quality teams work together.
Uniting Operational Expertise with Data-driven Innovation
Threaded is the brainchild of two co-founders who came together from different backgrounds. Yet, they shared the same conviction that modern manufacturing is overdue for a digital renaissance. Having launched cutting-edge products at Tesla, Carbon, and Rivian, Braden Ball lived the friction of outdated tools.
Even at these innovative companies, Braden saw critical processes managed with pen, paper, and static spreadsheets. These outdated methods caused misalignment and slowed adaptation in a fast-moving sector.
Data and infrastructure specialist Ryan Mason approached the problem from a different angle. His work at Square and other data-centric startups taught him that poor data flow causes most organizational problems.
Ryan saw the “invisible friction” that arises when cross-functional teams lack real-time visibility. He realized the root problem in manufacturing was similar:
- Disjointed information
- No single source of truth
- Limited capacity to predict or prevent disruptions
Braden’s manufacturing experience and Ryan’s data expertise came together in 2023 to create Threaded. Their goal was to build a next‑generation platform that combines lean manufacturing principles with modern software.
Transforming Static Value into Dynamic Real-time Collaboration
Many past attempts to modernize Value Stream Mapping (VSM) failed. They kept the same static processes and data silos, focusing on surface-level fixes. Instead, they should have rethought how teams align and adapt to change.
To move beyond this, Threaded decided to focus on evolving a cornerstone of lean manufacturing practices—VSM. VSM offers a macro-level snapshot of all the steps required to bring a product from raw materials to finished goods.
For decades, this approach has helped manufacturers identify hidden bottlenecks and opportunities for improvement. Yet, as production lines have grown more sophisticated, traditional value stream mapping examples have struggled to keep pace. Paper or spreadsheet maps become obsolete when a supplier misses a shipment or a design team modifies a component.
Over time, these fragmented example of value stream mapping incur massive hidden costs. Without unified, real-time visibility, teams unintentionally duplicate efforts and chase non-critical issues, while genuine bottlenecks go unnoticed. The world rewards speed and agility, such inefficiencies cause project delays, unplanned downtime, and recurring quality lapses.
Threaded turns VSM into an interactive, always-updated system of record. Every step in the value stream connects to live data. Instead of static symbols and numbers, users see:
- Real-time cycle times
- Inventory levels
- Performance metrics
Teams can embed photos or videos of production stations and add comments to the map to show problems or suggest fixes. No more tedious monthly reviews. Threaded lets everyone, from shop floor operators to executives, see a live, updated view of the system.
This concept of continuous collaboration reflects the team’s approach to Continuous Improvement (CI). They recognize that manufacturing is never truly “finished.” Small changes in materials, product designs, or customer requirements can create domino effects across the entire production line.
Threaded captures and visualizes changes in real time. It turns static VSM into a live, collaborative system—a single source of truth. Operators can spot bottlenecks early, and leaders can allocate resources before small issues grow into bigger problems.
As more companies adopt Threaded, the platform uses data insights and automation to improve. It is becoming a complete value stream mapping process for modern manufacturing.
An Essential Infrastructure for the Space Economy
Threaded is pushing the boundaries of modern manufacturing at a time when innovation has never been more urgent. As the space economy continues to expand, the pressure to rapidly and reliably build hardware at scale intensifies. Late deliveries, quality hiccups, or scaling bottlenecks can derail entire missions.
Space manufacturers need real-time insight into every step of production. This is how they adapt quickly to changes or new mission needs. This agility helps them meet short-term goals and prepare for future space architectures with
- Modular satellites
- Reusable launch vehicles
- Complex orbital logistics
The Future of Manufacturing is Threaded
As complexity in manufacturing continues to grow—especially with high-stakes industries like aerospace and space tech—tools that offer speed, transparency, and agility are no longer optional. Threaded isn’t just a software upgrade; it's a fundamental shift in how manufacturers plan, collaborate, and respond in real time.
By reinventing Value Stream Mapping as a dynamic, data-driven system, Threaded equips teams with the clarity and coordination needed to thrive in today’s evolving industrial landscape. From factory floor to executive suite, it's clear: the future of manufacturing will be built on platforms like Threaded.
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