Contributed to EO by Peta Strachan, Operations Supervisor at Free 3D Fingers, a mission-based charity in Australia that designs and 3D-prints prosthetic palms and assistive gadgets at no cost.
Earlier this yr, EO members from throughout Australia attended EO Ignite – Reignite Your Ardour, a regional occasion at beautiful Hamilton Island, positioned within the coronary heart of the Nice Barrier Reef. Mat Bowtell, the founder and CEO of Free 3D Fingers, was invited to ship the keynote presentation at EO Ignite.
At Free 3D Fingers, we design, manufacture and supply high quality palms and assistive gadgets to individuals all around the globe at no cost—we even pay the postage! We use 3D printing know-how and superior CAD design software program to supply high quality, practical designs for kids and adults who usually haven’t any commercially obtainable possibility. We freely share our designs below an open-source license, in order that others could make their very own gadgets and as a solution to encourage additional innovation within the area.
Globally, the World Well being Group estimates that over 35 million individuals require prosthetics or orthotics, however solely 10 % of individuals can entry or afford these life-changing merchandise. The purpose of Free 3D Fingers is to considerably carry down the price of assistive know-how to assist those that presently can’t entry or afford it. We’re growing a low-cost, multi-grip Bionic Arm, and we’re making thrilling progress with the newest prototype. Our purpose is to make the equal of an AUD $60,000 Bionic Arm—for below $60 in elements!
Mat Bowtell was honoured to ship the primary keynote presentation of the EO Ignite occasion and acquired a fully overwhelming response from EO members after his discuss. Mat, a former senior engineer at Toyota, was made redundant through the closure of the automotive trade in Australia in 2017. He turned down profitable consulting jobs and worldwide provides to pursue his ardour for making palms for teenagers, and he wished to do it at no cost. Utilizing his redundancy payout, he labored for 2 years as a volunteer earlier than formally establishing Free 3D Fingers as a charity supported by public talking, donations and company sponsorship.
We had been extremely moved by the emotion and assist from EO members, a lot of whom had been in tears after listening to Mat discuss his journey to assist others. Quite a few EO members obtained collectively and, after consulting with the group, obtained on stage to announce that collectively, the EO members in attendance had been capable of pledge practically AUS$50,000 to our charity! Each cent has been acquired and can assist assist our international design hub to proceed to launch free designs and collaborate with volunteer teams in growing international locations to ascertain 3D printing clinics and make low-cost assistive gadgets obtainable to these actually in want.
Shivani Gupta, an EO Queensland member and Engagement Skilled for APAC, shared her response to Mat’s presentation:
“Mat’s presentation on his WHY and dedicating his work and like to a larger good had me in tears. The tales he shares and the eagerness he exudes are what each entrepreneur wants to listen to.
I used to be moved by his presentation and obtained as much as ask anybody else who was moved whether or not they want to be part of me and make a tax-deductible donation—over 50 individuals mentioned YES. That made the convention for me!
I might encourage different EO chapters and members to rent Mat as a speaker, be impressed by him, implement his methods into your enterprise, and if you happen to can donate or hyperlink him to others who can—do it!”
Shivani Gupta, EO Queensland
Mat and I stayed on for the subsequent few days, and we had been wholeheartedly embraced by the EO neighborhood throughout our go to. We completely liked attending to know everybody, listening to about their particular person enterprise journeys, and discovering what EO is all about. Since our discuss, we have now had members from round Australia come and go to our Design Centre and proceed to supply assist.
We simply need to say an enormous “Thank You” to the EO members who welcomed us, cared and actually understood the ethos of Free 3D Fingers and can proceed to assist us develop and assist others. We hope to have the chance to satisfy some worldwide EO members sooner or later!
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