We are thankful to be welcome on these lands in friendship. The lands we are situated on are covered by the Williams Treaties and are the traditional territory of the Mississaugas, a branch of the greater Anishinaabeg Nation, including Algonquin, Ojibway, Odawa and Pottawatomi. These lands remain home to many Indigenous nations and peoples.

We acknowledge this land out of respect for the Indigenous nations who have cared for Turtle Island, also called North America, from before the arrival of settler peoples until this day. Most importantly, we acknowledge that the history of these lands has been tainted by poor treatment and a lack of friendship with the First Nations who call them home.

This history is something we are all affected by because we are all treaty people in Canada. We all have a shared history to reflect on, and each of us is affected by this history in different ways. Our past defines our present, but if we move forward as friends and allies, then it does not have to define our future.

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Engineering students' startup company’s multi-million dollar success

Tiko 3D team. From left: Sharon Charitar, Business Analyst; Matt Gajkowski, Chief Executive Officer; Michael Zhang, Supply Chain Manager (image courtesy: Ontario Centres of Excellence).

As Mechanical Engineering students Matt Gajkowski and Michael Zhang prepare to enter their final year of undergraduate studies, they certainly already have plenty of incredible memories to reflect upon. The past year has been a whirlwind for the enterprising young student-entrepreneurs.

The story begins with Matt (CEO) and Michael (Supply Chain Manager) teaming with Sharon Charitar (Business Analyst) to create the prototype for an affordable and easy-to-use 3D printer. Their vision to bring Delta printing technology to the masses in a desktop device led to the launch of their very own business – Tiko 3D.

“Our timing to launch Tiko 3D probably could not have been better, thanks to the emergence of a powerful entrepreneurial culture at the university and in the community,” said Matt. “Most startup companies struggle in their earliest days because they are not able to find key resources like capital and structural supports to accelerate their business plan.”

Fast forward to April 2015: Tiko 3D was ready to test the market. The company boldly put its Unibody 3D printer into a month-long Kickstarter campaign. The goal: raise $100,000 in 30 days. When the Kickstarter campaign ended, Tiko 3D had a stunning $2.95 million in pre-orders for its printer.

“The early buy-in was nothing short of phenomenal, and in fact, it was fast and furious,” said Matt. “We blew past our goal in only three hours! Support was steady throughout the entire month. It was really exciting to see the idea take off and gain so much endorsement.”

Tiko 3D has set the bar pretty high for entrepreneurs who follow. What happens next for Tiko?

“A startup has to sell itself as much as its product,” said Matt. “Tiko is characterized by a relentless pursuit of technological innovation, and our R&D list says a great deal about who we are and where we're going. We owe a huge thank you to everyone who backed us, believed in us and shared our vision of accessible 3D printing. Thanks to the growing entrepreneurial culture at UOIT and in Durham Region, we live in a world where all inventors can pursue their dreams. It really has been an amazing journey, and hopefully it’s all just the beginning.”