Inspiring Next Generation Innovators With Micromanufacturing S12 Ep16

19 Jul 2016 — 2 min read

The first challenge every innovator will experience is the task of taking their idea and turning it into something real. If your idea is a physical items such as a electronic device, a tool or any other tangible 3D item, how do you go about manufacturing it? What innovators need is access to reasonably priced micromanufacturing tools that will allow them to design, test and iterate on their idea. Can these tools inspire the next generation innovators?

In this weeks show, Danielle Applestone, share the story behind the Other Machine Co.. The Other Machine Co has created a desktop CNC (computer Numerical Control) milling machine that can take a design and mill out the part, PCB (printer circuit board) or any other 3D item from a variety of materials such as wood, plastic and metals like aluminium. The benefit to teams and organizations that need rapid turnaround time for their ideas is obvious. What may not be as obvious is the impact this will have on the maker (DIY - do it yourself) community along with the impact it can have on kids who experience for the first time their idea becoming a tangible item.

This impact on impact on kids and especially girls is one of many motivators for Danielle to do what she does.

The topics covered in this show included:

The inspiration that parents can have on next generation innovators
How undergraduate degrees don't necessarily match with what innovators want to do
How to handle surprises such as when DARPA funding goes away
How team passion can take you in areas you never thought possible
The pros and cons of doing a kickstarter to start a business
How to use Kickstarter as the proof for investors
What role can micromanufacturing have on bringing back skills needed to build physical products?
Some surprising uses of the product, the Othermill.
What two things do you wish you knew before you start down this path?

Background on Danielle Applestone:

Danielle Applestone is the co-founder and CEO of Other Machine Co., a Berkeley-based, leading manufacturer of desktop CNC (Computer Numerical Control) milling machines. Formerly, Danielle ran a U.S. Government Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) project to develop digital design software and manufacturing tools for the classroom. Danielle’s team took their technology and launched Other Machine Co. in 2013. Danielle is passionate about STEM education for women and girls, fostering work-based apprenticeship programs, and encouraging the development of businesses that provide relevant and meaningful mentorship for the future workforce in both urban and rural areas. Danielle received her B.S. in chemical engineering from MIT in 2002 and a PhD in materials science and engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2012. She is a member of the 2016 Class of Henry Crown Fellows and the Aspen Global Leadership Network at the Aspen Institute.