Alex Shim Smilansky and Ben Redford
Mayku
Product designer and digital strategist // Designer and inventor
Main Stage //
Mayku Kickstarter Launch
Mayku is a new British hardware startup backed by Innovate UK, the Arts Council and the Design Council. They build desktop factories. Founded by Benjamin Redford – a designer and inventor. And Alex Smilansky – a product designer and digital strategist in June 2015.
The idea for Mayku was formed while Ben was developing Projecteo – the tiny Instagram projector. His experience of designing a product in London, manufacturing it in China and reshipping it all over the world from the US had a lasting impact on him. It struck him that these large industrial machines could be miniaturised. At that time Alex was leading the strategy team at Mint Digital, a product development studio in London and New York. They met for a drink to discuss the idea and Mayku was formed. Their mission – to make manufacturing local, simple and accessible to all.
Synopsis:
Alex Smilansky and Ben Redford will take to the stage to give an exclusive preview of their forthcoming Kickstarter of their first desktop manufacturing device, Formbox, which turns plastic sheets into 3D shapes.